A Georgia restaurant done messed with the wrong girl. When drag performer Alissah Brooks tried to enter Don Pollo Bar & Grill last week after attending a GLAAD gala in Atlanta, the bouncer denied her entry. His reason? The sex listed on Brooks’ license is male, and she presents and identifies as a woman.
In a video Brooks posted to her YouTube channel, two of her friends confronted the bouncer and manager at Don Pollo, saying, “Our friend was discriminated against by your security… The problem was she is transgender.”
“What’s wrong with that,” the manager responded. “Yeah, we can do that. We have the right to be selective… We can do that. We’re private property. We have the right to do that.”
Brooks told Project Q Atlanta, “My reaction is simply just surprised… So it feels awkward. Feel a little less than. As for what’s next? I’m just spreading the word so everyone is aware. I’m involved with GLAAD and my best friend Kat Graham is helping share the story and just make everyone aware of the situation. I’m not seeking a lawsuit. Just awareness. Hopefully an apology and maybe they can be more sensitive to other girls like myself.”
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Currently, the state of Georgia offers no protections from discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Atlanta, however, passed a non-discrimination ordinance in 2000 that protects workers from discrimination based on gender identity. The ordinance seemingly would not prevent a private business from denying a person entry, however.
But where the government fails, the masses succeed. As the video clip continues to go viral, Don Pollo has been inundated with messages from Brooks’ supporters. One posting on their Facebook page nicely captured the sentiment: “Fuck this place. Hate is NOT on my menu.”
Photo: Facebook
hyhybt
Yay! Not for the discrimination, but for the apparent return of emails. Though it’s more important for comments than for articles, which can also be caught by RSS.
As for the restaurant or bar or whatever, yes, for the time being at least, you do have that right. The question is why you’d even *want* to.
jimbryant
He just looks to me as if he’s simply put on mascara, powder and lipstick…and suddenly he’s female. Doesn’t work that way.
Dixie Rect
Did you hear that? It was me screaming.
Will L
The headline makes it sound like this took place at Denny’s. They have a bouncer. It was a club. I would venture to say that her driver license picture looks nothing like her drag persona. If she’s serious about using her ID to get in, she needs one as female. Let’s see how far that goes with Georgia Driver Services.
vklortho
Why the hell would they refuse her entry? She’s beautiful and surprisingly there are plenty of straight dudes who are okay with penis.
Captain proton
Judging from their FB page I would say they are not aware of the comments there. the posts made by the page admin look like an outside agency posts periodic announcements about upcoming activities and that’s it. no interaction with people whatsoever.
Louis
Not surprising ignorance seems to be more prevalent in the South.
L1on1989
@jimbryant: SHE lives as a woman–a beautiful woman at that. She is extremely kind and very undeserving of what happened to her. She is not just a “drag performer,” Queerty. She is a transexual. A PERSON that was denied entry for who she is. She legally cannot change her ID until she is post-op. Shame on you, jimbryant, for being so negative about a member of our community. Shame on anyone that doesn’t stand with this woman–as SHE is woman enough to stand up for what is right.