Chris Donohoe caused a bit of a sh*t storm this week when he took to social media to claim he was the target of antigay discrimination at the hands of a homophobic hotel manager in Las Vegas.
But is he really the victim he claims to be?
It all started when Donohoe was kicked out of the pool at the Wynn Las Vegas for violating its “no speedo” policy.
“I was kicked out for being a gay man wearing a bathing suit that was just a little too gay for the The Beach Club Encore Las Vegas to tolerate,” he wrote on Facebook.
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Related: Man in speedo cries homophobia after being asked to leave pool for violating “no speedo” policy
Donohoe went on to say he was “up all night because I couldn’t sleep from being so upset” and that he has “cried so much” as a result of the treatment he received.
“The thing that really upsets me about this is there were women with their titties out everywhere,” he said, “but as soon as a man shows up looking gay AF they’re told ‘no, you don’t belong here.’”
He continued: “I’m a white guy and I have power in society and I still felt completely powerless.”
Today I was removed from the pool party at Encore Beach Club for wearing “inappropriate attire”. If It smells like homophobia, it’s homophobia. Ps: this bathing suit is Mr. Turk and it’s FABULOUS AF. Wynn Las Vegas Mr Turk Encore Beach Club Day & Night – Guestlist Encore Beach Club
Posted by Chris Donohoe on Sunday, August 5, 2018
He also posted about it on Twitter:
Hi! To all my gays and queer folk. If you want to be out and proud DO NOT GO TO @WynnLasVegas got kicked out pool for being gay yesterday https://t.co/ex0Wco0GzJ #gaytravel
— Chris Donohoe (@MrChrisDonohoe) August 6, 2018
In response, Wynn Resorts, which has a 100% approval rating on the HRC’s Corporate Equality Index, had to do damage control. It issued a statement apologizing for the confusion and saying it will allow speedos to be worn in the pool going forward.
“Regarding LGBTQ+ guests, our policy has been clear and consistent for years: Wynn welcomes and appreciates all of our LGBTQ+ guests,” the statement read. “Decisions to enforce policies are solely based on guest behavior, or in this case, attire. We have always and will continue to apply attire policies equally to all of our guests, regardless of sexual orientation.”
This seems to have satisfied Donohoe. In an update posted to his Facebook page Wednesday afternoon, he writes:
The folks at Wynn Las Vegas met with me and also publicly apologized for how I was treated at the Encore Beach Club. They also abolished the “no Speedo” rule and have committed to do training with their employees on how to handle this type of situation next time around. The director I spoke with was gracious and thanked me for bringing this issue to their attention so that they can make positive changes at the hotel.
Donohoe goes on to say he’s still “super shaken” by the experience but he’s glad it has lead to “impacting positive change.”
He concludes the post with a message to all his supporters and to the LGBTQ community at large:
To the Queer community — and especially the freaks, outsiders, and folks at the margin — stay fab AF and know that you have a place in this world. You belong! You are worthy! And you have nothing to be ashamed of!
But a closer look at Donohoe’s Twitter page finds this isn’t the first time he’s claimed to be the target of questionable homophobic abuse.
Earlier this year, he also took to Twitter to call out the TSA for allegedly profiling him for being gay by asking him to “spread his legs.” The incident left him so disturbed that he forgot his laptop behind:
I was profiled and searched for being gay by @TSA today at Houston Bush airport @iah … “spread your legs wider…wider” the agent repeated. So messed up. Left my laptop at security I was so upset
— Chris Donohoe (@MrChrisDonohoe) April 15, 2018
Look, we get it. Homophobia happens. We report on it each and every day. It’s horrible and needs to stop.
But it’s important, as members of the LGBTQ community, that we not to throw out accusations of antigay abuse just because something doesn’t go our way.
There’s a different between being targeted and simply being asked to follow the rules.
Play that gay card fairly, fellas.
Related: Five Gay Hoaxes That Had Us Fooled
derek mcgillicuddy
Prima facie, it would seem that this claim is specious, but just think: which men in America wear bikinis? Gay men. Are women in bikinis barred from the swimming pool? No, so, who is being excluded? Gay men.
Paco
I’m gay and wear swim shorts when I go swimming.
He should be claiming gender discrimination or something like that if he wants to have the same standard of dress code as the female guests. Not homophobia.
startenout
And men from anywhere else in the world since speedos are common from Brazil to Norway…pretty much anywhere except for here. Not a gay thing.
brianlange
I am taken back by him saying because he is powerful because he is a white male. I am a white male and do not feel any more powerful than say a black male.
Bryguyf69
Derek – I was on the swim team where everyone was likely straight. We wore Speedos then and many of us continue to wear Speedos now. We don’t do it to impress anyone else. Going to the beach is not a fashion show. If we feel comfortable in it, we’ll wear it.
Davidparacka
I love Speedos, on muscular men, fat men, old men, they’re the greatest! Wish I could go to a beach where all men wear Speedos!
Paco
He was being ridiculous. The dress code said no speedos, using the name brand to cover a particular style of swimwear. The same way people tend to call all facial tissues Kleenex, or all cotton swabs Q-Tips. I’m pretty sure he knew it, too. And got pissy because he wasn’t allowed to do whatever the hell he wanted.
If there were no other men being ignored for breaking the dress code by wearing a speedo style swimsuit, then he can’t really claim homophobia.
Giuseppe
Thank You! This queen was playing semantics because what he was wearing wasn’t SPEEDO brand, pathetic attempt at attention. Boo fucking hoo.
RIGay
Wasn’t he the one who threw the crying fit, screaming, “LEAVE BRITNEY ALONE!!!!” on that YouTube video…?
seaguy
No that was Chris Crocker and they are different people.
Xzamilloh
His new should be Mandace Owens.
Xzamilloh
His new NAME should be Mandace Owens
StraightnNarrow
It’s beyond belief that some gays would act in such an unnaturally affected manner. There is something seriously wrong with this man and what a lousy job his parents did.
brianlange
Oh I don’t know I have seen more than my share of divas
Vince
I’m totally shocked that this drama queen is crying discrimination eherever dhe goes.
DCguy
The tone of the article is odd. If there was no problem then why did Wynn scramble and issue an apology?
Vortece
Damage control. This guy didn’t experience any homophobia, but it doesn’t matter to company because they know they can’t control the narrative, and there’s a chance this story could take off because of the whole “homophobia” angle, so they contain the damage by offering an apology and promise to change for the better.
DCguy
Companies don’t do “damage control” or change policies if nothing happened and is provable. It sounds like somebody said or did something.
Vortece
You’re probably right. Bad publicity never hurts a business and the internet outrage mob never jumps to unfounded conclusions. I don’t know what I was thinking.
Bryguyf69
DCguy – yes, something happened. He was thrown out for wearing Speedos, whereas women can wear much more revealing swimsuits. So there you had a clear case of sexism. Furthermore, they we’re discriminating against European and Latin American men, many of whom were bikini swimwear on their native beaches. So of course Wynn would do damage control. But there is no case for homophobia. There is no proof that management even suspected he was gay.
Ashke113
So he’s a mega drama queen for the sake of attention and anyone who looks at him says anything to him or even so much as shakes his hand wrong is homophobic. This bitch needs his ass kicked for purposely inciting alot of the gay community just so he can get his rocks off……
Donston
Speedos is hardly a gay thing.
PinkoOfTheGange
So do wee get to say the same thing about #MeToo?
BTW there was no written policy about swim briefs at the Wynn pools, is why they backed of this.
The only rule is appropriate swim attire.
PinkoOfTheGange
I ned a neew keyboard or fix the darn “e” on this one
Kieran
I didn’t watch the whole video…..did he ever turn around and show his butt?
Crystix
Just because some people are louder than others and willing to stand up against bigotry doesn’t mean they’re calling wolf. I’ve always stood up for diversity because I know others aren’t able or willing. Sounds like this man did the right thing calling homophobia on Wynn. Recognize that implicit bias is all around us. And those that make a stink about it are the one solving the problem, not the sad little homos who talk about him being to flamboyant and attention whore.
Brian
Wait… you’re saying he has a history of complaining because he made one other complaint once?
While that’s technically “a history” because it’s a past event, that’s not usually how people mean the phrase. This feels like exaggerated click-bait, which seems to be how you run this site.
Lacuevaman
attention-seeking vapid sissy queen! that, my queer friends, is the dirty side of this “out” and in your face culture you so want to have!
he ought to be slapped silly(er)
Mick406
You nailed it! Here’s to more slapping!!! 🙂
topshelf
The gay card is something that a person can pull once, maybe twice, every decade or so. If it’s happening more often than that, perhaps the problem isn’t everyone else’s. Maybe the guy is just irritating AF.
Kangol
Go to the beaches Brazil, France, Italy, France, Spain, Greece, etc., and you’ll see, quite a few men look very good in Speedos.
seaguy
Lots of judgemental nasty comments from people who I wonder if they would have the balls to stand up for their rights in a similar situation?
Lacuevaman
you damn right about standing up for “their rights” …..but GOD damn wrong about “in a similar manner”!
Sam6969
If he managed to have a sexist rule stopped (even anecdotical), he did right, even if it was risky and not obvious in the first place. We are used to complying, most of the time, and not always aware (even us as LGB) we are immersed in sexist and hetero-normative societies, i.e. the ground where homophobia can grow. So, it is important also to fight and have this ground change. Not everyone can do that, so we can criticize this man’s ways, but we can also acknowledge his successes.
Sam6969
To be perfectly fair we should balance the advantages and drawbacks of a demanding behavior in each context. Does it cause more good to LGBT and society than Harm or not? It is not always easy to assess prior to action.
QueerTruth
Claiming this is discrimination is ludicrous. It’s a swim trunk policy. Move on.
Calin
Is one thing if it’s you can’t wear speedos at the pool another if it’s you can’t wear speedos because you’re gay. If it’s you can’t wear speedos period, girl is calling wolf.
Mick406
There are two things wrong with speedos.
1. Very few of us look good in them. I’ve been to beaches all over Europe, Mexico, Caribbean, and the US. Some men look horrendous in those things, with their bellies hanging over. Only the trim and fit should brave putting them on and save the eyesight of the beholders.
2. If you are packing a huge wad, they become lurid, suggestive, or even obscene. They leave little to the imagination and I think it becomes embarrassing to parents with young children who can plainly see elephant trunks wadded up. When you can tell a guy is ‘cut’, then they are too tight and revealing (to the general public!).
I’m not a prude. I know kids have to learn about sex some day. But I can even be repulsed by some of the things I’ve seen. Same for women too, with 95% of their boobs exposed and camel toe showing. Just how about some decency and good judgment, folks?
I’ll be the first one to enjoy going to a beach where no families are and seeing good looking people scantily clad. But fat people like ME need to leave their speedos at home! I put ’em on one time, looked in the mirror and nearly threw up! :))
Doug
Sorry if I offend anyone, but this video has circulated all over the internet during the last couple of days. It’s the kind of video homophobes love, because the guy is a drama queen and cries discrimination if things don’t go his way. Let the video die a quiet death, it’s gotten way too much exposure as it is.
Steve318
I think what upsets me the most about this article is the quote from the Wynn: “We have always and will continue to apply attire policies equally to all of our guests, regardless of sexual orientation.” This statement is at best disingenuous and borders on a lie. I was at the Wynn Buffet in July and was wearing an open collared button up shirt over a tank top. I removed the outer shirt to be more comfortable while eating and I was told I had to put my shirt back on because men must wear sleeves. When I pointed out the woman at the next table was in a tank top, they told me the policy was different for men and women. When I pointed out that was unfair, and asked what they do about transgender persons or drag queens, they had no answer. I have in my possession a copy of the dress policy for the Wynn restaurants which stipulates in many restaurants “…gentleman must wear a collared shirt.” As Chris pointed out in the article, the Wynn allows women to have titties hanging out (the Encore actually has a topless pool) but objects to a man in a Speedo. Requiring men to wear sleeves, while women can wear tank tops to the same restaurant s not is not applying attire policies equally to all guests, and it is sexist and is rooted in women being treated as sex objects–so let them dress scantily. The addition of “regardless of sexual orientation” is only a caveat to get the HRC rating, but it is disingenuous and dishonest.
bigrawtop
And maybe it’s the rules that are discriminatory. What is it now attack the activist just because he’s an activist more than once.
Yes there is lots of discrimination everywhere and we are Targeted and it needs to stop. More more people should be throwing fits.
bigrawtop
It is no wonder more people don’t stand up for their rights when the people they are standing up for a column a drama queen