New Gay Bar REBAR in NYC’s Chelsea Neighborhood Accused of Racist Door Policy

This is why I find it hilariously condescending to be lectured to about racism by the race most responsible for spreading it.

R1 I agree!

Not sure it's really being racist.

To drum up buzz, new clubs often claim they are full. Long lines at the entrance mean it's popular, and other people will automatically want to come out and experience it.

The one guy complaining got in when there were a few black people inside. He automatically assumed that it was because blacks were being blocked.

That said, I would also believe it if there were a black block in place. I recall Splash being called out on its Asian block long ago.

Who owns Rebar? Peter Thiel? Ian Reisner?

Don't worry, it will be on the ropes soon enough. Then when no one of any color wants to go it will start hosting hip-hop nights.

I'm shocked, shocked I say!, to learn that gay white men can be racist!

San Francisco is named for an Italian saint but its bars don't seem to have that problem.

This is the latest dog whistle attempt by the SJW's against gay men, and I'm fucking sick of it. Gay men have zero power to oppress black people. You want to talk about racism, look at Trump and his voters and straight white men, but don't try to lay the blame on one of the most oppressed and reviled minorities in history because you can't get into a bar. In other words, GO FUCK YOURSELVES.

They lost me at "edugaytion"

You sound triggered, R7.

Eat something sweet bubbe, you'll feel better.

[quote]This is the latest dog whistle attempt by the SJW's against gay men, and I'm fucking sick of it. Gay men have zero power to oppress black people. You want to talk about racism, look at Trump and his voters and straight white men, but don't try to lay the blame on one of the most oppressed and reviled minorities in history because you can't get into a bar. In other words, GO FUCK YOURSELVES.

This times a zillion. Heterosexuals of color still have heterosexual privilege even if they faced racial discrimination. A gay person of color will also get treated worse than a heterosexual of color by racist homophobic whites who also hate their own kind for being gay.

In a story that only cites the social media accounts of gay men, r7 still blames "SJWs"

R7 does indeed sound very triggered. I swear, right-wingers get "triggered" by shit more than anyone else.

R11, you keep shoveling it so much you shouldn't be surprised by that.

And it's surprising that there are gays who are bigots and racists? Please, as a whole we are some of the worst of the worst.

R7 Yeah right!

"San Francisco is named for an Italian saint but its bars don't seem to have that problem. "

What problem; Italian saints or racism?

It won't matter what color your skin is, the Muslims will throw you off the roof regardless.

Looots of triggered SJWs in this thread. No one in the real world takes you seriously, dears.

R17 Roland Emmerich Stonewall financiers would highly disagree with you, lol!

I need a Safe Space.

I am totally shocked that such an incident happened in NYC, the pinnacle of acceptance and love. Gay men from around the world flock to NYC, because it is Nirvana. Now, to hear that there is racism amongst the "everyone is loved" city dwellers! Is there no balm in Gilead?

This has gone on for decades in the gay bar business. Back in the mid-70's, I worked the doors at 3 gay bars in San Francisco. We used similar tactics to keep women and other folks out by denying them with open toed shoes, alligator shirts, requiring 3 pieces of photo ID as well as the old "too many inside at this time". Not saying it was right but a tried and true tactic to create the environment the owners wanted.

The irony is that I myself probably wouldn't be granted entrance to the same gay bars today; old, grey and wrinkly.

Black patrons, like Lesbians, DON'T TIP!!!!

The “black limit.” referred to in the article is actually known as "the tipping point". That's the percentage point at which a bar becomes a "black bar." Whites generally will not go to an all black bar, no matter how liberal they may claim to be. The tipping point is usually around 35% (but some bars say it can be as low as 20%, e.g. Los Angeles and some parts of Chelsea). That is, when the percentage of black patrons in the bar gets past 35%, whites will stop coming in and it will rapidly become an all black bar. Everyone bar owner knows about the tipping point.

This is the old G Lounge space that just closed a few months ago. Something seems fishy about this story. I'm not buying it.

R23 speaks sense, unlike the fools in this thread going on about "SJWs"

Bars are very reticent to have a crowd become [italic]too[/italic] ethnic, because people will look at it as an ethnic club and stay away.

Oh I doubt this very much. My guess is that they are just modulating their crowd numbers and playing with the lines outside to make it look like a hot bar. Silly to think that a NYC bar would try to cater to whites only- that would last about 5 seconds.

R25, this is true. They wait to welcome in the ethnic crowds (first the black crowd, followed by the latins) until the traffic starts to slow.

R10 obviously owns a scoreboard.

Must be nice to have time enough to keep track of every perceived injustice in the world.

This is already all over Tumblr. The SJWs are saying white gays are racist.

Here is the Tumblr post.

It's a club. If you think their clientele is "too white," don't go.

R23 is right. I've seen this be the kiss of death for a number of clubs. But I agree it could also have a lot to do with wanting a line to form outside.

And before people get too free throwing around the word "racism," try being a white person taken by friends to an all or predominantly black club. I've gone a couple of times with friends and it was not a welcoming experience. I understand why I might have been looked upon as an interloper but it's not a only a white phenomenon.

No bar owner in a neighborhood like that wants their bar to be known as an "ethnic bar" because it will drive the whites away. They want white people as their main clientele, believe me. Whites spend more money and are better tippers, and there are less problems with anti-social behaviors. This is known in the hospitality industry.

Sorry, it's just the truth.

R15: They've got a lot of nerve calling us q****s while projecting breeder racism onto us.

R32: That's because wops control the industry and wops are the biggest racists around.

[quote]It's a club. If you think their clientele is "too white," don't go.

...Huh? No one was complaining the clientele was too white. These people wanted to go into the club. They were not allowed.

There were some black people in the bar when this guy was turned away.

And lo and behold, Chelsea bars are overwhelmingly white! Who knew? Have you noticed the demographics in the neighborhood?

Is the parking free?

Yes, Barbara, you want to go with me?

[quote] This times a zillion. Heterosexuals of color still have heterosexual privilege even if they faced racial discrimination. A gay person of color will also get treated worse than a heterosexual of color by racist homophobic whites who also hate their own kind for being gay.

Tell that to formerly closeted white nationalist billionaire Peter Thiel who threw his coins in with Trump's racist homophobic support base. Now that the first black President used all of his political currency to advocate for institutional acceptance/equality and federal protection of homosexuals, white homosexuals have traded in their 'oppressed minority' status for white privilege.

This is fucking insane.

While I am sure that some Chelsea gay bars are racist, it's a pretty common practice to create lines in front of clubs the first week or two they are open so that people will think they are very hard to get into and thus want to get in. Even though the club may be empty inside.

It was even the premise of an entire episode of "Queer As Folk" IIRC.

And since the guy in question said there were some blacks inside, it sounds more like they were trying to keep everyone waiting to create the illusion than to actually discriminate.

Fucking SJWs ruin everything.

[quote] Silly to think that a NYC bar would try to cater to whites only- that would last about 5 seconds.

It happens in L.A. and I think most would consider L.A. more liberal than NYC. Almost every "gay" bar in Weho has at some point been cited for a discriminatory door policy. Whether it is racial animus or economics, or both, it is real. Then when owners realize that their desired majority-white demographic has moved on, they start catering to ethnic customers.

If we're going to be totally honest, let's call out what's fueling the racism: a steady drumbeat of reports that the incidence of HIV in the black community is double or triple what it is in the white community.

If I had a dollar for every good white NY, SF or LA liberal white gay man who told me that he did not want to hook up with a black guy who was not "white acting" (the equivalent of "straight acting, lol) because of fear of AIDS or fear the guy would rob him, I'd be very rich.

Remember those two asswipes who opened a gay hotel and yet threw a private fundraiser for Ted fucking Cruz? Yes, gay men can be bigoted assholes just like the rest of them.

Gee, one black guy turned away from a bar and once again the media and breeders launch into thee typical stereotyping, even though there were back guys inside the bar. Such bullshit.

Breeders love to project their racism onto gays because it makes them look more progressive than they really are and they can use it to justify homophobia.

R44 Nope, it was three different people who shared similar stories. Two were NYC locals and third was a visitor from Atlanta. Your logic: Gays were not persecuted by Nazis since Nazis had many senior Gay members.

[quote]Bars are very reticent to have a crowd become too ethnic, because people will look at it as an ethnic club and stay away.

Damn, r25. "Ethnic" people ARE people. You just said "if there are too many ethnics then people will stay away" as though "people" could only mean whites. Do you realize that?

And this is DL which has been so fucking shitty lately that I'm going to get yelled at, called names, and FFed into a ban for saying this, aren't I?

Who are the Ethnics? Are they a Motown group?

[quote] If I had a dollar for every good white NY, SF or LA liberal white gay man who told me that he did not want to hook up with a black guy who was not "white acting" (the equivalent of "straight acting, lol) because of fear of AIDS or fear the guy would rob him, I'd be very rich.

Rich???!!! Bitch, you don't know THAT many liberal white gay men. You'd have like $17 at most.

R46 Oh dear. There's the predictable Nazi comparison. You SJW's are SO predictable.

So a couple of people were turned away and decided it must be racism. Sure, that proves it, if they felt that way. No actual proof needed.

You're a kneejerk idiot.

The very white Danny Pintauro did more to contribute to the spread of HIV than any person of color.

Chelsea is a very black neighborhood. Haven't you walked down 8th Avenue lately, R36? The clientele at the adult video stores is overwhelmingly colored, too.

r52 those aren't the people going to the bars in Chelsea.

[quote]The clientele at the adult video stores is overwhelmingly colored, too.

Colored? Were they colored in with a pencil, a marker, or a crayon?

LOL "colored"

Is everyone on this thread 60+?

No, R54, he meant that they are Negros.

Is the problem really racism, or is it something more intrinsic to the whole capitalistic game? So much about modern business is so manipulative, so bait-and-switch, and so desperate to aggrandize itself at the expense of anybody, with little regard to race. Everybody gets screwed over by this system soon enough. I wish the race-nellies would figure this out. Their grandparents knew it.

When did social justice become a bunch of people screaming "racist! racist!" There's much more to it. This new obsession with race-bating is going to guarantee another generation or two of social stagnation.

No, I meant non-white. You know how "people of color" refers to all non-whites? That's how I meant it.

I'm in my late 30s, and I vote Democrat, but I am not one of those people who sees an appreciable difference between 'colored people' and 'people of color'. (Apparently the NAACP doesn't see a difference ,either.) It's a joke to act like the former is breathtakingly offensive, but actually perfectly okay if you invert the words and add the word 'of'.

I see nothing wrong with that, R58. I refer to those people as "the coloreds" myself.

[quote]Looots of triggered SJWs in this thread. No one in the real world takes you seriously, dears.

Awww, isn’t it cute when old people use words like “Triggered”? Oh, right.... it’s not.

[quote] You want to talk about racism, look at Trump and his voters and straight white men, but don't try to lay the blame on one of the most oppressed and reviled minorities in history because you can't get into a bar.

This isn’t about the Jews, man.

If this were any other site, I'd think that R49 was joking.

But given DL's high rate of Aspie-ness, there's 50/50 he's being serious

It's quite common.

When I was at uni I worked as a door bitch to keep the ratio of Asians low.

[quote]Damn, [R25]. "Ethnic" people ARE people. You just said "if there are too many ethnics then people will stay away" as though "people" could only mean whites. Do you realize that?

I'm not R25, but he's simply stating a fact. If you've ever worked in a club or bar, you'll know that this is pretty much universal.

Shitty? Absolutely but it is what it is.

I think blacks being poor tippers is a myth. "Livin large" is a known part of black club culture, where the males will peel back bills to impress and pay top dollar for expensive liquor and bottle service, VIP sections, etc.

Yeah r7, eat something. Like ground glass!

Ain't nobody got time for dat.

You're vastly outnumbered R66. BLOCKED.

Another trade secret of the hospitality industry: if your bar is getting too many "certain" types of people, start playing country music or alternarock over the speakers. This music is like Kryptonite, and they will leave.

I'm just stating a fact, this has been known in the industry forever.

This is why I stopped patronizing gay bars. Why should I give them my money when they diss me because of my skin color? Especially in Philadelphia-the now deceased owner of Uncles was notorious for this!

Wow, I'm loving hearing all the inside knowledge from people who work in the service industry—the tricks that have been used to maintain a certain demographic in their establishment. Really interesting.

I have a South Asian friend who used to say gay bars didn't let him in. We have no idea of this sort of thing going on if we are not discriminated against.

Why did G close in the first place? I had heard that they renewed a long lease relatively recently.

G became a black bar, didn't it. So this bar is trying to prevent that from happening

Next time you're in a bar, look at the jukebox. Of course there are plenty of black artists to choose from, but they're mostly classics like Marvin Gaye or Stevie Wonder etc. You'll notice there is no rap or hip-hop. Of course there are exceptions, but most jukeboxes in bars exclude rap and hip-hop for a reason.

The bar does not serve Courvoisier or Hennessy.

If the bar sells cigarettes, only "white" brands are available, such as Marlboro or Parliament (white people LOVE Parliament). There is no Newport or any other kind of menthol.

To keep blacks out, why don't the doormen tell them "The owner is from The South."

"wops control the industry and wops are the biggest racists around. "

R34, you're a racist cuntstabbing shitlicker, ya know that?

R10 they would probably gwt it the worst frim homophobic blacks. I know a lot of black gay men and they all told me horror stories about the homophobia and hatred in the black community.

I don't think it's a black thing- it's a probably a black gangster thing.

Why would a bar owner would want his bar to become a black thug bar? Look what happened to G lounge! It became over run with thugs and it is now out of business. Same with south beach. Over the last 5 years, south beach has become a hang out for black gangsters and is now not safe to walk around at night.

The blacks who were let in were probably normal black guys who would not start trouble. It's pretty easy to tell who is bad news and i wouldn't want them in my bar either. Same goes for white thugs.

Interview w/ owner:

There has been some media speculation surrounding the opening weekend, which unfortunately, seemed to spread like wildfire on social media. The accusation is that the business is telling POC patrons who are waiting in line that capacity has been reached when, in fact, the bar was nowhere near its full occupancy limit. Once and for all, can you please address this issue and speak directly to your customers?

It was our opening weekend and we had been in operation for under 48 hours. As with any new business, there are a lot of moving pieces to be assembled, and reassembled, as we refine things. Simply speaking, because we made a decision to let the bar empty out to work out some of the operational issues, we gave instructions to the door to allow entry only to guests on our VIP list. This in turn created a line at the front door of people who were mistakenly told we were at capacity when we were not.

[quote]Awww, isn’t it cute when old people use words like “Triggered”? Oh, right.... it’s not.

Awww, isn’t it cute when black people try to get into white bars? Totes adorbs!

How does a black thug look? Can't someone be thuggish and wear LL Bean? If someone says baggy pants and bling I'd say wake up from 1998.

A gay bar can you imagine?

[quote]"wops control the industry and wops are the biggest racists around. "

What fucking decade are you living in? Trendy NYC bars are owned by trust fund trash and celebs these days.

It's not the bagginess. It's the state of cleanliness, the brand of clothes, the accessories worn with it. It's the body language, word choice, eye contact, speed of movements. It's the people with him. It's very obvious who is going to be a problem.

[quote] we had been in operation for under 48 hours ... we gave instructions to the door to allow entry only to guests on our VIP list. This in turn created a line at the front door of people who were mistakenly told we were at capacity when we were not.

TRANSLATION: As many DLers noted, new bars and clubs often let lines form outside to create the perception that they are popular and hard to get into. We thought that was a good idea and so told the door not to let anyone in except friends and family.

r87 in fairness, that doesn't speak to the posters upthread who claim it goes on re: the industry generally.

And in fairness, gangster does not equal black. Do you want BMF over-running your club? No, but you don't want Paul Massey taking it over either. Culturally speaking, the latter did way more damage than the former.

[Yes, I know those are old references; I'm an e-gay-sue me. Who would be the equivalent in the last 5 years?]

Typical blacks and latinos. Looking for a seat at the white owner's table instead of building and patronizing gay black/latino owned-and-operated venues.

Bars and clubs with staff and patrons of color are more fun, have better music, hotter strippers, and better energy. (Don't share that opinion? Don't worry, there's a broad spectrum of other nightlife options.)

Again, why exactly is there a fight over the carcass of G Lounge?

Not sure I follow you R88-- the two are unrelated.

Yes, the industry probably does discriminate against POCs, but in this instance it seems what the bar was doing was creating the impression that they were the new hot spot by not letting anyone into the club, black, white, purple or blue.

...Really r89? Your answer is SEGREGATION? REALLY?!

i would not let anyone into my bar wearing a doo rag or pantyhose wrapped around their head either........and that goes for baseball caps, football helmets and fedoras.....no more hats everrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!!

POC suffer from racism every day so will naturally jump at it as a racial problem. Having less experience with racism directed at them, I suspect Colorless people are more tone-deaf and likely to accept the Colorless club's explanation.

Why is it segregation, R91?

When it comes to gay versus straights, we talk about the power of "pink" dollars and supporting gay-owned and operated bars, cafes, bed & breakfasts. Gay men of color in NYC should use this opportunity to start their own ventures.

Please state your arguments against minority entrepreneurship. You prefer blacks and latinos continuing to fund (alleged) bigots?

Gay men should be able to freely congregate together regardless of race, I'm sorry that seems like a crazy concept to you, that's literally all I have to say on this silly matter. Carry on.

[quote] Gay men should be able to freely congregate together regardless of race

You obviously didn't read the article or the witness accounts. The crowd inside Rebar *was* racially mixed.

Some blacks and latinos who were made to wait outside feel that the percentage should have been higher. They obviously have never been to any straight clubs in Chelsea or the Meatpacking district. Sexism, ageism, fat-shaming, reign supreme.

Maybe it is a crazy concept, but I always vote with my wallet. And no one can keep you out of a home you own.

What do white people know about being turned away?

You evidently were never at Studio 54 back in the day......there were many tears and fights with mascara running down women's faces.

GAY white people. R97? Plenty.

Good, I'll be going there then. Fewer crotch grabbing ghetto closet cases and faux alpha thugs is a good thing .

Like R100 has been to a club since 1950's.

R97 yoi can't be serious

As an obvious white gay male try going to R&B black clubs and bars and see how that goes over

You would freely welcomed r102. You would know that if you weren't just a dumb shit stirring troll.

R103 the same, NOT being a shit stirrer, would be applied to any minority group in predominantly white bar with PAYING customers

In this economy, who the hell would purposely turn away PAYING CUSTOMERS based on their skin color?

Once again, "liberal logic" makes no sense

You have had several different posters in this thread agree that bars limit the amount of minority customers because too many minority customers scares away white clientele r103. But okay, clearly that is something that never happens.

Obviously was referring to R104*

Where are all the responses?

? Wonky

No r78, he isn't. Italian Americans ar fre just like he says they are. Can't stand most of them myself!

r90 my point was that it's obviously an issue industry wide, so even if this wasn't a case of it, although I give it 50:50, that doesn't mean it's not a problem for PoCs who want to go clubbing.

To the people who are saying that blacks (AAs, really) aren't let in because they don't want gang trouble, that can easily happen with any ethnicity including whites, because organized crime is all over that industry, and it has every ethnic group represented.

What about us?

[quote]To the people who are saying that blacks (AAs, really) aren't let in because they don't want gang trouble, that can easily happen with any ethnicity including whites,

Yeah, those white guys in their Gap jeans and skin-tight T-shirts are always trouble lol!

My thoughts exactly, R112. Just didn't know how to phrase it inoffensively.

r113 neither did r112.

I heard it was basically no baseball caps and my whole Facebook coven of shrieking SJWs went apeshit!

The same crowd of gays pends eight months a year on social media wailing about the trans, and the lack of diversity and calling EVERYONE a racist, then spends the next four months posting pictures from The Pines....one of the whitest places on earth! Hilarious dopes.

Maybe they can have a "blacks only" party once a week.

It was anti-armenian racism when I didn't get into Nell's.

R115,

Have you even been to the Pines? It's not all white. I saw a black guy waiting for ferry once last year.

I can't tell if you're angry at the crowd for being lunatic SJWs or for going to the Pines.

Please tell me you're being sarcastic, r118. One black guy?

I'll let you know.

[quote] Please state your arguments against minority entrepreneurship. You prefer blacks and latinos continuing to fund (alleged) bigots?

I'm not r91 but it's unlikely s/he's opposed to minority entrepreneurship. Economic empowerment is not an answer to racial discrimination. Discrimination must be fought while empowerment is pursued, simultaneously.

Why is there discussion of gang violence relating to a gay bar. Do gay black 'gangs' terrorize gay bars? That is a preposterous pretext for discriminating against black gay clientele.

I spied a black family in Zermatt this winter.

^How did you deal?

[post redacted because linking to dailymail.co.uk clearly indicates that the poster is either a troll or an idiot (probably both, honestly.) Our advice is that you just ignore this poster but whatever you do, don't click on any link to this putrid rag.]

I see 3 posts at the link complaining about racism, the last one from a white guy. There's no proof. It could be the dress policy, it could be they're only letting in guys they think are 'hot'. Who knows. Or it could be that people are attacking a 'gay' bar because we're not supposed to have things for gay men and lesbians anymore, just sexually and gender fluid bi-species Trans-racial folks. Let's face it, gays are under attack by the SJW's.

[quote]Or it could be that people are attacking a 'gay' bar because we're not supposed to have things for gay men and lesbians anymore, just sexually and gender fluid bi-species Trans-racial folks. Let's face it, gays are under attack by the SJW's.

Well, you had me until your last point. I mean….that's too paranoid even for me. And I still have an X-files poster on my wall.

If they are hot, regardless of race, they are welcomed!

Not hot, regardless of race, sorry!

[quote]white homosexuals have traded in their 'oppressed minority' status for white privilege.

Chechnya has begun a white gay genocide. Where in the world are blacks being targeted in a genocide?

Where do the upper middle class white gay boys meet each other these days, apart from online? What are the bars for them?

The only place I meet guys anymore is at the gym. You know they're hot, take care of themselves, social. I never meet guys online anymore and have met way to many weirdos at bars.

They're not having a great time of it in certain countries in Africa, you know, your gay brothers over there. Or do they not count, r129?

There are none R130

Just Grindr, the occasional party.

I have a theory that a lot of GOCs (Gays of Color) go to bars because they know they'll just get shut down on the apps. That in turn makes the white boys less likely to go to bars and hang on apps, which makes the GOCs... you know, the circle thing.

Nice strawman, r132.

Also, as others have pointed out upthread, this whole thing is complete bullshit.

Like every other brand new club, gay or straight or mixed, they were trying to make it seem like the place was happening by not letting anyone in except friends and family and figuring the crowd outside would get people interested.

I'm pretty sure r130 was being sarcastic...

At least that was my read of it.

So what type of crowd is at REBAR nowadays- well, right before Covid.