Here is the situation.
Straight bar.
Unknowingly hires a lesbian KJ. (You can't ask that question for obvious reasons.)
The crowd starts turning. More lesbians start becoming regulars. Straight guys know they don't stand a chance for a date...stop coming. Straight women may have also stopped coming not wanting to be hassled.
#2
Straight bar.
Straight KJ.
A few gay men start coming to sing.
Rumors start to circulate that the bar is a gay bar. Straight men stop coming.
Any suggestions. These situations are true.
Touchy Subject
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spotlightjr
- Posts: 100
- Joined: Sun Apr 05, 2009 6:36 pm
- Location: southwest Florida
Both bars are straight bars. So having a reputation for being something they're not could/has hurt business from loss of customers.
It could spiral out of control.
You can't discriminate. LEGALLY ....If you do you take a big chance of being taken to court. This would pretty much ruin the business if restitution had to be paid.
It could spiral out of control.
You can't discriminate. LEGALLY ....If you do you take a big chance of being taken to court. This would pretty much ruin the business if restitution had to be paid.
If I was the bar owner and heard rumors that my bar was considered a "gay bar" I would post a big sign outside that says "THIS IS NOT A GAY BAR". No discrimination in that sign. It just states a fact.
Forget about any discrimination suits in my state anyway as every bar is considered a private club and anyone can be refused service without a given reason.
Forget about any discrimination suits in my state anyway as every bar is considered a private club and anyone can be refused service without a given reason.
A sign like that would bring a lawsuit because the gays would say you put it there to keep us out. That makes it discriminatory.
I never saw a gay bar that had a sign that says THIS IS A GAY BAR.
Now it may be decorated so you might get a clue or you might be able to tell by simply watching the cliental for 3 seconds.
How is it any different than a biker bar or a hillbilly bar? All you have to do is look around.
I understand that not everyone is out of the closet and aren't blatantly flaming. That would make it harder to decern what type of a bar it actually is.
But people are making assumtions from hearsay or the fact that there may actually be a handfull of gays or lesbians hanging out on a regular basis. A few people doesn't make the entire bar oneway or another.
It comes down to reputation. Reputation can be determined or influenced by prejudice or miss information.
It can still hurt your business if a majority of people believe what they hear.
Would the owner of a gay bar be pi$$ed if people thought it was a straight bar because some straight people hang out there?
On a slightly different subject...someone called the black manager of a bar I play in the "N" word the other night. It lead to a pushing match. Was the white guy mad because he thought it was or should be an all white bar? Does a few black patrons make it a black bar?
Would anything be said if they hang a sign that says THIS IS NOT A BLACK BAR?
I never saw a gay bar that had a sign that says THIS IS A GAY BAR.
Now it may be decorated so you might get a clue or you might be able to tell by simply watching the cliental for 3 seconds.
How is it any different than a biker bar or a hillbilly bar? All you have to do is look around.
I understand that not everyone is out of the closet and aren't blatantly flaming. That would make it harder to decern what type of a bar it actually is.
But people are making assumtions from hearsay or the fact that there may actually be a handfull of gays or lesbians hanging out on a regular basis. A few people doesn't make the entire bar oneway or another.
It comes down to reputation. Reputation can be determined or influenced by prejudice or miss information.
It can still hurt your business if a majority of people believe what they hear.
Would the owner of a gay bar be pi$$ed if people thought it was a straight bar because some straight people hang out there?
On a slightly different subject...someone called the black manager of a bar I play in the "N" word the other night. It lead to a pushing match. Was the white guy mad because he thought it was or should be an all white bar? Does a few black patrons make it a black bar?
Would anything be said if they hang a sign that says THIS IS NOT A BLACK BAR?
As long as the sign did not say "GAYS NOT ALLOWED" it is not discrimination. No more than if it said "THIS IS NOT A BIKER BAR" or "THIS IS NOT A FEMALE ONLY BAR". There are no racially oriented bars in my area, and although some people find it hard to believe, racism is very rarely a problem here.
Again, in this state EVERY bar is considered a private club. You can refuse service to anyone without giving them a reason just like you can refuse to allow anyone to enter your home.
Most guys around here, including myself, will not go within a hundred feet of a bar that is reputed as being a "gay bar". If you are a bar owner, and want to remain one, you had better squash any rumors related to this very quickly.
Again, in this state EVERY bar is considered a private club. You can refuse service to anyone without giving them a reason just like you can refuse to allow anyone to enter your home.
Most guys around here, including myself, will not go within a hundred feet of a bar that is reputed as being a "gay bar". If you are a bar owner, and want to remain one, you had better squash any rumors related to this very quickly.
If I see the only vehicles in the parking lot are motorcycle I can safely assume it's probably a biker bar. Many people won't stop at a bar if they see 3 motorcycles parked there. All of a sudden it's a "biker" bar. It 's because of the preceieved biker reputation.
I can't tell a gay bar or lesbian bar from the type of vehicles in the lot.
3 gay guys or girls doesn't make any bar a gay bar. But 3 people telling 3 people telling 3 people can blow things way out of proportion. No pun intended.
That's the problem. The preception. Which leads to reputation.
You can not legally stop anyone from coming into a bar here based on sexual orientation..without opening yourself up to a lawsuit for discrimination. You could safely tell a biker to stay away unless he's gay.
I hired an openly gay KJ 10 years ago to run a system for me. I did wonder how much my business reputation would be affected. If it was or wasn't I don't know. I'm sure it may have kept some people away.
Every business is operating on a fine line. Preception and reputation need to be considered.
I can't tell a gay bar or lesbian bar from the type of vehicles in the lot.
3 gay guys or girls doesn't make any bar a gay bar. But 3 people telling 3 people telling 3 people can blow things way out of proportion. No pun intended.
That's the problem. The preception. Which leads to reputation.
You can not legally stop anyone from coming into a bar here based on sexual orientation..without opening yourself up to a lawsuit for discrimination. You could safely tell a biker to stay away unless he's gay.
I hired an openly gay KJ 10 years ago to run a system for me. I did wonder how much my business reputation would be affected. If it was or wasn't I don't know. I'm sure it may have kept some people away.
Every business is operating on a fine line. Preception and reputation need to be considered.
Perception is, indeed, the problem.Bigdog wrote:If I see the only vehicles in the parking lot are motorcycle I can safely assume it's probably a biker bar. Many people won't stop at a bar if they see 3 motorcycles parked there. All of a sudden it's a "biker" bar. It 's because of the preceieved biker reputation.
That's the problem. The preception. Which leads to reputation.
You can not legally stop anyone from coming into a bar here based on sexual orientation..without opening yourself up to a lawsuit for discrimination. You could safely tell a biker to stay away unless he's gay.
Every business is operating on a fine line. Preception and reputation need to be considered.
Many years ago, when I was out of work, I worked for an agency that arranged strippers and kissograms to drive the girls to and from venues and generally look after them while they were "working".
One job entailed (no pun intended
) driving to a Pub I didn't know and on arrival, the car park had about 100+ bikes in it. I had three lassies with me by the way and trust me, when you've driven around with three naked, gorgeous women in your car, the magic soon wears off!!! Anyway, my first thought in entering the Pub was "I'm going to die, tonight!!!"
I was fully expecting much drunkeness, mayhem and violent ravishing. And that was just me, never mind the girls!
Perception is a weird thing, as a nicer bunch of guys I have rarely met.
It was one poor sap's "stag" do and the girls stitched him up well and truly.
A great night was had by one and all and I got out with all my bits, still attached.
Sandy
Most of the time these things work themselves out and a club evolves into a "both" club. Karaoke itself lends itself to diversity in most cases. There wull always be exceptiojns though, there's still alot of hate in this country.
Visit my page on FB....Karaoke Karolina. Check out my store/studio/art gallery AXXTACY GUITARS & GEAR M-F 2PM-7PM, 5285 Main, Shallotte, NC. 910-795-9083
