After a Melbourne bar slid a little homophobia onto their drinks menu, patrons were not having it and blasted them on Facebook.
For seven years, Handsome Steve’s House of Refreshment in Melbourne had a sign that read ‘No soy, no skinny, no tea… no poofter drinks’ below their drink menu.
What was even moderately socially acceptable in 2008 is clearly not in 2015, so a group of angry customers confronted owner Steve Miller, who refused to remove the sign.
They then took to Facebook to let Handsome Steve’s know their homophobia was about as current as Fame-era Gaga, and flooded the page with over 100 one-star reviews like this:
How about we take this to the next level?
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…and this:
Finally, Miller changed his tune and posted the following to the page:
For what it’s worth, one protester had a conversation with the owner, and it seems to have went very well.
The lesson here? Homophobia doesn’t pay, and gays (and our allies) are more than willing to put our money where our (big) mouths are when it comes to blatant discrimination.
Jennifer Mercury
Poofter drinks are the best kind. I’d put an umbrella and a fruit skewer in my beer if I could!
Rex Clemones
I think it’s hilarious!
Gary Jackson
Tell them to just sod off……………………………………………………….
ShowMeGuy
It only took SEVEN years for someone to get offended.
Dennis Patrick Ellis
real gay men drink – grand marnier & black coffee + 2 sugars*
Bailey-Quin Taylor
But I like poofter drinks. I mean poofter drinks are the only drinks I drinkð?¾ð?¸ð?¹ð?·
Patrick Cremeans
“Poofter” drinks are the most expensive and thus would make them the most money. Idiots.
Brian
It took seven years for somebody to complain???? My goodness, why did it take so long? I thougt Fitzroy in Melbourne was the equivalent of Greenwich Village in New York. Perhaps the social conscience of Fitzroy bar-hoppers is a bit slow to kick in.
Using homophobic slurs like poofter is actually quite common amongst Australians.
Matthew David Thompson
Matthew McMillion
Captain Obvious
@Patrick Cremeans: That and they taste better. The people who drink things that taste like crap to prove their manhood are the real sissies anyway. Too afraid to admit the “poof” drinks taste way better than their counterparts.
Gimme a fruity drink with an umbrella in it any day of the week over beer or straight liquor.
Giancarlo85
If his (Steve Miller) apology was sincere, I’m willing to accept that. But they should have shown better judgment. This was clearly a lack of foresight and piss poor judgment.
Jonty Coppersmith
Maybe Steve is sincere or maybe he’s just trying to save face. Who knows?
“It seems to have went very well.” In the words of Laura Petrie, Oh Rob!
Nathaniel McManus
As they call them in England: Bitch piss…
Glücklich
@Captain Obvious:
This proud sissy prefers his nice Scotch or Bourbon rocks or neat over a tequila sunrise or the like any day of the week.
silveroracle
I’m more of a single malt whiskey man or a pint of Guinness.
This slur doesn’t put me off Aussies as I think they’ve got such a sexy accent.
Giancarlo85
I can’t stand straight up hard liquor.
If I were to drink, yeah give me a fruity poofter martini instead.
Glücklich
@silveroracle:
Where do you want to meet? First round’s on me.
John Kuehnle
How many Americans know that’s slang for homosexual. If I saw that in a bar here I would do a double take.
Jim Philbrick
Stubborn guy would not remove the sign until his business was threatened,,,
Captain Obvious
@Glücklich: You think they taste good though?
ralrod13
Gay men prefer a blue moon and a shot of bourbon, anyway.
Marky
A poofter drink is a full bodied full fat original drink. A low fat skinny soy drink is a woman’s drink. Hate me gently. Thanks! 🙂
Marky
A non-poofter drink is whatever society tells you is popular to drink. 🙂
broadshoulder
As soon as I saw the sign – I knew it had to be Australia. Why are they so behind the times over there…
Louis
Smh some of your attitudes are ridiculous but of course the moment someone feels something is derogatory or offensive the elitist LGBT members always have to mock the offended parties.
Grow up already children.
As far as that word goes Ive never heard of that actually being the name of a drink but Im also not from Australia.
However the point is drink or not its still a word that’s always been derogatory towards LGBT americans.
Ive seen that word used negatively too many times to count against people who are gay.
BigG
He’s not sorry in the slightest. He wouldn’t budge until it went viral then he had too. Trust me behind closed doors that man is raging inside. Hope his business caves.
Adam J Holt
The bar is in the most hipster, gay friendly part of Melbourne. I’d say they were just being ironic.
Brian
@Adam J Holt: Fitzroy is not really gay male-friendly. It’s more lesbian-friendly than gay male-friendly. The hipsters of Fitzroy tend to be homophobic towards male homosexuality.
Brian
@broadshoulder: Australia is similar to the Deep South of the USA when it comes to attitudes about race and sexuality. It’s no surprise that there is no gay marriage in Australia.
Also, Australia has many migrants from the Middle East and other homophobic countries. Multi-culturalism has made the homophobia worse than ever.
Glücklich
@Captain Obvious:
YES!!!
onthemark
We queers should “reclaim” the word poofter. Problem solved!
Giancarlo85
@Brian: It depends what part of Austaralia. Urban centers are more advanced.
“Multi-culturalism has made the homophobia worse than ever.”
Yet another empty claim.
o.codone
@Giancarlo85: Giancarlo85
I can’t stand straight up hard liquor.
If I were to drink, yeah give me a fruity poofter martini instead.
The world doesn’t care, even a little, about what you like to drink.
scottsingsbari
Some years ago, there was an IT industry trade show here in the states that used the tag line “it’s not for sissies.” I took offense at this and wrote to them. Received a very apologetic response and we used it as a learning experience. I think it is important to always send feedback directly to the source of the offense so they have the opportunity to learn from it and to correct it quickly. If offense was intended then it is good for us to know that as well so we can spend our monies elsewhere.
Glücklich
@scottsingsbari:
Are you at liberty to say which show? I’m not personally offended but I *would* be surprised if it were any of the SF-local events, e.g. Mac World, Oracle Open World, or Dreamforce.
Giancarlo85
@o.codone: And nobody cares about what you have to say because your opinions are not valid and meaningful. Keep your inflammatory hatred to yourself.
Giancarlo85
@o.codone: By the way, you obviously care enough to reply.
Next time, understand that people are here expressing their opinions on drinks… including myself. IF you don’t like that, go to a different site. You obviously have some serious personality flaws and problems.
alphacentauri
@Rex Clemones: Exactly it is hilarious! People are way too over sensitive these days. Plus fruity drinks with a slice of fruit and umbrella taste very good.
SeeingAll
There are drinks with far more offensive names than Poofter, when you think about it.
SeeingAll
..the Redheaded Slut..
SeeingAll
@scottsingsbari: Bette Davis said “Old age is not for sissies”, and she sure wasn’t a homophobe.
captainburrito
Really surprised no tea is on the menu. O_o