Hunters in the news ...

[External Poster]

This posting is from: annie
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I know that we're deep in the "Off Season" as far as Pinkfest is
concerned, but I ran into this while searching for some info on some
similar issues in Florida and Las Vegas ...
. . . . .

Local Gay Club Allegedly Turns Away Trans Individuals

by Amy Wooten
Windy City Times - IL,USA
2007-04-04

http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=14466

A trans individual, accompanied by two other trans friends, were
allegedly denied entrance to a suburban gay bar, but the nightspot's
owner says it was supposedly due to a specific incident that night
that required the nightclub to be strict with regards to
identification, and trans individuals and those in drag will never
be turned away again.

On the night of March 24, "Roxy Rockefeller" (the individual's
non-legal preferred name for purposes of this article) and two of
her friends were allegedly turned away from Elk Grove Village's
Hunters Nightclub. Roxy told Windy City Times that although she and
her friends had come to the bar in drag several times before with no
problems, that night was different. They were allegedly told that
their drivers licenses needed to match their personas, and even when
Roxy offered to remove her wig, they were still allegedly denied
entrance. According to Rockefeller, the staff cited a Cook County
law regarding IDs.

The Cook County Human Rights Ordinance, although it protects against
discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, does
provide an exception to the rule: if an ID is required, the ID much
match the persona of the individual.

The bar's owner says that the ordinance and the law contradict each
other, and the bar is working towards rectifying the issue.

Rockefeller says that she was supposedly told by the bar to go to
the Department of Motor Vehicles to obtain an ID that pictures her
in drag. A trip to the DMV the following week proved to be a
fruitless effort.

"They were making my weekend stressful, trying to make me jump
through hoops just for one bar," she said. Rockefeller added that
she did not understand why, out of all of the LGBT Chicago-area
bars, only one would suddenly stop allowing trans individuals and
those in drag into the bar.

Rockefeller described being both angry and embarrassed that night.
"I may not know a lot of things, but I do know what is right and
what is wrong. We were humiliated."

Peter Landorf, Hunters' owner, told Windy City Times that on that
particular evening, Rockefeller and her friends were turned away
because of concerns over the Cook County ordinance due to a specific
"one-time" occurrence in the club that night. "They are welcome in
our club," Landorf said. "There were other instances that happened
that evening that made it be as severe as it was, but other than
that, everyone is welcome in the club."

Landorf told Windy City Times he is speaking with the American Civil
Liberties Union to get the situation worked out, so the bar can
protect itself while continuing to serve the entire community.

"The problem maybe did get a little blown out of proportion, but we
are doing damage control and everything is back to normal," he said.
"Everyone is welcome, just like they were before."

Copyright C 2007 Windy City Media Group. All rights reserved.


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[External Poster]

This posting is from: Elena
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>Local Gay Club Allegedly Turns Away Trans Individuals

This has created a lot of discussion on some Chicago message boards.
The new Hunters policy lasted just one weekend. Now the bouncers can
use their discretion to decide whether the ID matches person presenting
it.

The reason I heard was that Hunters was trying to get rid of transgender
"working girls" plying their trade at Hunters.

Elena


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[External Poster]

This posting is from: Robbi
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>The reason I heard was that Hunters was trying to get rid of transgender
>"working girls" plying their trade at Hunters.

Hi!

I went last Saturday and they were lettig us in again, but I also heard
what caused the ruckus in the first place!

We need to at least TRY to be descreet when we are out, maybe even a bit
"ladylike?"

Anyway, things seem to be OK for now:)

Robbi


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[External Poster]

This posting is from: annie
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>The reason I heard was that Hunters was trying to
>get rid of transgender "working girls" plying their
>trade at Hunters.

Ya know, those clods are an embarrasment to the community. It really
annoys me that in the eyes of many, that's the perception they have of
the TG community. :(

>The new Hunters policy lasted just one weekend. Now
>the bouncers can use their discretion to decide
>whether the ID matches person presenting

Hunters seems to be one of the few places that regularly cards
everybody. There is no way I'm gonna pass for under 21, but they usually
ask for it there, even if to go through the motions. (Ironically, the
last time I was there at last fall's Pinkfest, he asked me for it, I
started to fumble for it, then he waved me on through. I don't know
whether to take that as a complement or insult.) :)

Something doesn't make sense about that, however. If a bar staff doesn't
want somebody "working" the place, all they have to say is "YOU! OUT!
NOW!" and that's that! They don't have to feign compliance with some
kind of id-does-not-match non-regulation.


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