Gay Bar ID Policy Called Discriminatory

By Julie Bolcer

DRAG DRIVERS LICENSE X390 | ADVOCATE.COM

A Chicago-area gay bar has launched a policy that requires patrons to present photo ID that matches their “gender presentation,” a directive that causes a problem for patrons who visit the bar dressed as one gender but live primarily as another.

Hunters Nightclub in Elk Grove Village said it was forced to institute the policy as a way to curb prostitution, which could cause the venue to lose its liquor license, according to the Chicago Tribune.

“Hunters Nightclub reluctantly imposed its new ID requirement because cross-dressing prostitutes were advertising on Craigslist and mentioning the establishment, said manager Peter Landorf,” the Chicago Tribune reported. “Under the new admission rule, cross-dressers must have a government-issued photo ID that looks like the person presenting it at the bar.”

Patrons such as Andy, who declined to give his last name, called the requirement “discrimination.” Andy lives as a man primarily in his daily life, which is reflected on his driver’s license, but visits Hunters Nightclub dressed as a woman.

Hunters Nightclub recognized the concern and said it was open to devising another solution.

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Name: xirus
Date posted: 9/21/2009 10:45:47 PM
Hometown: louisville, ky, usa

Comment:
it is discriminatory. how is having an ID, with a false gender picture on it, going to curb prostitution? the establishment needs to come up with a better solution than asking patrons to show false identification. also, how would a person get false ID like that anyway? isn't that against the law? if i have brown eyes, black hair and fair skin and i decide to wear green contacts, bleach my hair blond and go crazy tanning, am i supposed to get an ID of that?
Back to top Post a Comment
Name: xirus
Date posted: 9/21/2009 10:45:20 PM
Hometown: louisville, ky, usa

Comment:
it is discriminatory. how is having an ID, with a false gender picture on it, going to curb prostitution? the establishment needs to come up with a better solution than asking patrons to show false identification. also, how would a person get false ID like that anyway? isn't that against the law? if i have brown eyes, black hair and fair skin and i decide to wear green contacts, bleach my hair blond and go crazy tanning, am i supposed to get an ID of that?
Back to top Post a Comment
Name: Reggie
Date posted: 9/21/2009 10:39:24 PM
Hometown: Gary

Comment:
The bar manager, in a separate statement, claimed he was concerned about losing his liquor license serving transvestite prostitutes. There was a time (in my lifetime) when bar owners were afraid of the same thing serving homosexuals. Maybe we should all see to it these bar managers lose all their customers. This is not the Stonewall spirit in reaction to police harassment, to harass your patrons. I don't know about anyone mentioning the bar on Craigslist unless they said it was a filthy dump. They need a bunch of drag queen hos to get loud at the door.
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Name: Dan
Date posted: 9/21/2009 7:18:46 PM
Hometown: Chicago

Comment:
This was originally covered in the Sept. 9 issue of Windy City Times.
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Name: Alex
Date posted: 9/21/2009 2:44:31 PM
Hometown: Albany

Comment:
Intentional or not, it is incredibly discriminatory and that's not cool. It's not as if these people are trans and dress this way all the time. From what it sounds like, these are just people who go to gay bars in drag to have fun, and requiring everyone to have an id that matches their current presentation isn't really possible. As for the prostitutes, well, even if they weren't crossdressing they could still be prostituting in the club, so it doesn't really solve anything now does it? I mean, what do they want people to do? Get one id for everyday life and another for when they go out in drag? No, that won't cause any problems at all, will it? Really now.
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Name: Tom
Date posted: 9/21/2009 2:38:35 PM
Hometown: Omaha

Comment:
Tom yr a piece of work. You completely fail to note the safety issues involved for M to F trans people using male facilities. Of course, as always, your first concern is what straight people might think. I would hate to live in your shoes, Tom
Back to top Post a Comment
Name: Tom
Date posted: 9/21/2009 2:05:41 PM
Hometown: Omaha

Comment:
Tom yr a piece of work. You completely fail to note the safety issues involved for M to F trans people using male facilities. Of course, as always, your first concern is what straight people might think. I would hate to live in your shoes, Tom
Back to top Post a Comment
Name: Tom
Date posted: 9/21/2009 1:59:12 PM
Hometown: Omaha

Comment:
Tom yr a piece of work. You completely fail to note the safety issues involved for M to F trans people using male facilities. Of course, as always, your first concern is what straight people might think. I would hate to live in your shoes, Tom
Back to top Post a Comment
Name: Tom
Date posted: 9/21/2009 1:52:21 PM
Hometown: Omaha

Comment:
Tom yr a piece of work. You completely fail to note the safety issues involved for M to F trans people using male facilities. Of course, as always, your first concern is what straight people might think. I would hate to live in your shoes, Tom
Back to top Post a Comment
Name: Tom
Date posted: 9/21/2009 1:50:18 PM
Hometown: Omaha

Comment:
Tom yr a piece of work. You completely fail to note the safety issues involved for M to F trans people using male facilities. Of course, as always, your first concern is what straight people might think. I would hate to live in your shoes, Tom

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