« Misogyny on Board | Main | Workplace Equality »

Not 'Dyke Enough'
Posted by Meredith on Oct 1, 2005 at 11:06AM in News Reports - permalink

I'd like to say I'm surprised by this, but I'm not - not after what happened to me on the cruise. A lesbian couple tried to enter a gay bar in London - G-A-Y Bar, actually - and were turned away by the door staff because they didn't look "dyke enough." In an editorial at PinkNews.co.uk, the club's promoter claims this was a misunderstanding based on the bouncer's foreign accent. I'd like to think that's the case, but my personal experiences makes me think otherwise. I'm sure the promoter doesn't intend to have staff who would be biased, but the fact remains that femme gay women do experience discrimination based on their appearance. These two were undoubtedly headed for Girls Go Down, the lesbian bar in the basement at G-A-Y, which I'm sure has a mix of all kinds of women. But instead of placing a female bouncer at the door with the male bouncer, the venue lets the guy arbitrate who can and cannot enter. Hopefully this flap will teach the promoter that having a bouncer at the main door for each part of the club is a better idea.