Gay nightclub’s sign declared ‘transphobic’
A Christchurch gay bar has been accused of transphobia for a sign declaring its staff don’t have vaginas.
The sign outside Cruz, the city’s only gay bar and nightclub, reads: ‘‘To avoid confusion our staff do not have vaginas and are known as barmen’’. A photo of the sign was posted on the bar’s Facebook page on Wednesday with the message: ‘‘Life gets so confusing. At CRUZ we do our bit to try and keep things simple’’.
By yesterday, there were more than 600 comments, with many saying the sign was discriminatory against lesbians and transgender people.
Christchurch trans advocate Jennifer Shields said the message of the sign ‘‘rested in transphobia’’. ‘‘The sign itself and Cruz’s attitude is one that rests in transphobia but also is very much in opposition to ideas of inclusion and acceptance.’’
Most of the Facebook comments were responded to by a Cruz page administrator with rigorous defence. ‘‘It is a great shame the male gay scene got hijacked by the extremist factions but I suppose you only have to look at the Auckland Pride fiasco to see where it all ends up,’’ one response said. A rift opened and sponsors withdrew when the parade’s board requested police not wear uniforms when participating in the event.
One commenter on Cruz’s page suggested the photo smacked of ‘‘desperation for revenue’’ or was posted for a laugh, and they did not know which was more pathetic.
The bar’s owner, Bruce Williamson, declined to comment when contacted by Stuff.
Shields, 25, said the sign made it clear the bar was only for cisgender gay men and was ‘‘a jab at trans men in particular’’. Cisgender is where personal identity and gender corresponds with a person’s birth sex. ‘‘The weird little barmen dig is a jab at notions of gender-neutral language and things like that.’’ Shields has never been to the bar. ‘‘The way that space is run is just so overwhelmingly not welcoming to the majority of our community.’’
It was the domain of cisgender gay men ‘‘of the older generation’’ and heterosexual people ‘‘who think it would be a fun place to go’’, she said.
Shields said there was a lack of safe spaces for queer and trans people in Christchurch and it was a shock to see the only gay bar rejecting some members of the community. Although there was greater LGBT+ acceptance in the hospitality industry, many still experienced discrimination, she said. ‘‘There is still a demand for spaces that are explicitly safe and welcoming and inclusive.’’
Shields encouraged Cruz to consider a change in attitude.
In 2013, a female patron was kicked out of Cruz after a heated dispute arose when she complained about being charged $4.50 for water.
Williamson said at the time the bar’s policy was to supply free tap water to anyone who was buying drinks, had made a purchase earlier or was showing signs of ‘‘physical distress’’.
Anyone else had to pay for bottled water, he said.