February 18th, 2010
Last night a friend of mine who’s short on cash asked me to come cheer/vote for him at a $100 amateur strip contest at Club Q in Colorado Springs. Though I often visit The Springs for activism I’d never been to Club Q before and was immediately struck by this large sign next to their front door.
Allow me to offer a translation: “If you come in and bang patrons with your religious beliefs the lesbians will get all worked up and we’ll throw your ass out.”
The experience in many ways reminded me of the 2006 documentary Small Town Gay Bar despite El Paso County having a population of nearly 600,000. Much like a small town gay bar Club Q serves the entire spectrum of LGBT people and the facility and decor is very eclectic and somewhat pieced together. The outdoor smoking patio for example contains a garden bench, a living room sofa and a bench that was clearly taken from the back of a mini-van.
But the most interesting part of the evening was the strip contest, open to all patrons regardless of gender. The voting was narrowed to one guy (my friend) and one gal and in the end the guys were louder but the gals greater in number.
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gordo
February 18th, 2010
Two words: Bachlorette Parties – large groups of drunk straight people can be disruptive and rude
Kel Munger
February 18th, 2010
They’ve got a sign just like that up at FACES, a Sacramento club. I suspect it keeps the troublemakers out.
Alex
February 18th, 2010
How oblivious do patrons have to be to walk into a place called Club Q on amateur stripping night hosted by a drag queen and NOT realize it’s a gay bar?
Priya Lynn
February 18th, 2010
If I walked into a bar called “Club Q” I’d have no idea from the name alone that it was a gay bar.
Daniel Gonzales
February 18th, 2010
It could be a billiards club… or maybe even a steakhouse ;)
http://www.steakhouseorgaybar.com/
anteros
February 18th, 2010
lol …i guessed wrong so many times, i just had to give up!
that sign is an excellent way of telling patrons to search their souls for any homophobia and leave it at the door before entering, or else…
…and perhaps a great way to guard against any silly lawsuits from homophobes claiming they were victims of heterophobia at the club, “i didnt know it was a gay establishment and wouldnt have entered if it were made clear – it’s all club q’s fault that I got winked at and my ass got pinched 5 times!”
Timothy Kincaid
February 19th, 2010
I was in Seattle recently where a friend and I passed an establishment with the following sign:
No Racists, Homophobes, or A$$holes allowed
A young straight couple was right behind us and the guy said, “damn, I’m all three!!”
Then he saw us and started apologizing and stammering. My friend and I and his girlfriend all just broke out laughing.
Brady
February 19th, 2010
They have a similar sign at Oz in New Orleans.
Donnchadh
February 19th, 2010
Given such people’s self-perception, it might be better to say: “No racial patriots, defenders of family values or people who matter allowed.”
Scott
February 22nd, 2010
Good for Club Q. I am a resident of Colorado and get tired of the in your face agenda of the right wing Christians like Focus on the Family. I doubt many straight people would visit Club Q in the first place, but having this kind of sign shows that the proprietors have some backbone. I am always amazed that Focus on the Family gets their own sign on I25 paid for by the taxpayers offering directions to their headquarters.
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