A popular DC gay bar is fielding accusations of racism after one of its bartenders wore a blackface mask to work last weekend.
Number Nine is a two-floor venue located at the heart of Logan Circle and a popular hangout for locals and tourists alike.
Last Friday, Cameron Burrell posted a photo to Facebook of one of its bartender, along with the caption: “DC PEEPS …THIS IS A BARTENDER AT *Number Nine* RIGHT NOW …LIKE, LIVE AND IN PERSON …SERVING UP!!! …This is a blackface mask! Racist cartoon! GOOGLE ***SAMBO***”
?DC PEEPS …THIS IS A BARTENDER AT *Number Nine* RIGHT NOW …LIKE, LIVE AND IN PERSON …SERVING UP!!! …This is a blackface mask! Racist cartoon! GOOGLE ***SAMBO***
Posted by Cameron Burrell on Friday, July 10, 2020
Not long after the post began circulating, Number Nine issued a lengthy statement on Facebook acknowledging the incident and apologizing for the bartender’s behavior:
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
Last night, an employee at Number Nine wore a face mask that has been identified as a mask that is an artistic representation of “black face”. We are sorry that this happened and we want to thank those that brought this to our attention and we appreciate being held accountable.
It went on to say that the bartender had “no idea” the mask was racist and, as soon as he found out, “he was horrified and removed it,” a claim that has since been disputed by commenters on Facebook.
The statement also noted that the bartender’s co-workers also “did not know what it represented when he arrived at work wearing it.”
It continued:
As a society, we are currently in a position to effect real change, tear down old systems, and build new ones. Part of that process is for everyone to be better. Better by participating. Better by learning about the issues that face our fellow citizens. Better by listening. Neither the employee nor his coworkers identified the mask as an issue and that is part of the problem. Now, we have heard the voices of many people and we are listening and learning.
But not everyone seemed satisfied with the statement. In fact, many expressed skepticism:
Then Yelp reviews of the bar resurfaced that showed it seems to have a history of making certain guests feel unwelcome.
“If you’re a queer/non-queer woman of color, or a queer man of color…come with backup,” a review written back in February warns. “I exclude white women from this bc there were plenty of them – queer/non-queer – who were greeted with friendly smiles right next to me.”
“I went in and sat at the bar for 30 minutes,” a review written in March of last year claims. “Left with no one noticing that they lost a customer. Not a place where women are welcome.”
“I’ve been here a few times (to try and give it a chance) but because I don’t look like the average gay guy (more masculine presenting, black and 6’6) almost every time I’ve come minus 1 person has made me feel like they don’t wanna serve me,” another review from June of last year alleges.
Other Yelp reviews, written over a five year period, accuse Number Nine of not serving a group of lesbians, making another lesbian feel “worthless,” completely dismissing women of color, calling someone a c*nt, only catering to white gays, not giving straight patrons happy hour deals, and being downright racist.
“Number Nine bar is very racist,” a reviewer said back in 2016. “The bar staff are very racist as well. The overall vibes are cold and unfriendly toward non-white patrons. This has been occurring for several years and has not changed.”
Of course, anyone can write a bad Yelp review or make accusations on Facebook. And the only thing Number Nine has actually admitted is that one of its bartenders did, in fact, wear a blackface mask to work last Friday, which it also acknowledges is “heinous” and “deplorable.”
After the first statement on the matter failed to land, Number Nine updated the Facebook post with an addendum:
After having had a chance to follow this conversation today both on line and personally with many of you, we have heard some straight forward concerns. We honestly look forward to addressing those concerns as fully as possible.
We have decided to take some concrete steps. We will be more full throated about our policies that racism, racist comments, and racist symbols or clothing will not ever be tolerated in the workplace. We have initiated a plan to provide diversity based training sessions for the entire staff.
Queerty has reached out to Number Nine for additional comment on the bartender’s blackface mask, as well as comment on past accusations of racism made against the establishment. We will update this post if we hear back.
ThinkPlease
Cancel culture….ATTACK! Do we take down the entire city or just the bar for what one bartender did? Even if it really was unintentional?
(I thought those were clown faces and I’ve seen them in white, black, and pink, actually. I guess I have to throw out my plain black ones just in case. Is blue OK or is that smurf-face?)
WashDrySpin
Anyone with half a brain knows that this is RACIST but hey you are white and are probably RACIST which is what you do and say especially here on the internet…keep your racism and ignorance LOUD and PROUD…
White gays are the worst racist because they think because they are gay so I couldn’t be racist and if I am racist it’s not my fault because I don’t know enough POC to correct my behavior
frapachino
Wash your racism and hatred is obvious to anyone with half a brain!
ThinkPlease
@WashDrySpin: What are you babbling about? It’d be hard for a pink mask of the same design to be racist against black people, now wouldn’t it? But then again, I don’t go out of my way to get offended.
But frankly, I’m getting a little tired of being personally blamed for everything that offends you. If it offends you, get off the Internet and do something about it.
Cam
Well now you know it is racist. So there is your answer. Now wasn’t that easy?
ThinkPlease
@Cam: No, I’ve been whined at by concern trolls who apparently deny the reality that it appears in other colors and have major butthurt about one style that sends them to the fainting couch. You may now join them.
If all anybody can do is throw insults and nobody can generate a sensible explanation, then it’s not a problem, it’s simply yet another concern trolling. QED. Nobody’s formulated a sensible explanation. Everybody’s throwing insulting one-liners. Therefore, this is concern trolling. QED.
Yes, yes, white-man-bad. We get that you think that. Now go away and contemplate your hierarchy and try to understand how racist it is.
Cam
@ThinkPlease
You keep using that excuse, but what I notice is you haven’t posted any proof. Please, post a link proving this.
ThinkPlease
See Wish, Aliexpress. I’m not your nanny, don’t owe you my time, and again, am not responsible for your failure to thrive. Do your own homework rather than cheat off my bookmarks.
Both feature these masks quite prominently. Should take you 10 minutes…but you won’t bother.
WashDrySpin
ThinkPlease is a small minded racist that hides behind the internet to support, promote his racist views..
Cam
@ThinkPlease
Your excuse is that these masks are available in multiple colors, etc. but as soon as you’re asked to prove this you backpeddle and tell me I should look it up.
In other words, you were lying, got called out and can’t prove your case. If you make a claim it isn’t my job to prove it, it is yours.
So to summarize. You lied, couldn’t prove your statement and got busted.
Catholicslutbox
Haha. That’s pretty funny though.
I’m surprised no ones has cancelled Pokémon. Jinx is 100% black face
WashDrySpin
YES racism is hilarious…
You are a white gay man with privilege so all is alright in your world…laugh it up…
Giggler
That was called out A LING TIME AGO.
Cancel Culture gotchu and been on point.
What else?
wooly101
Oh the horrors! A man got caught wearing a mask that happend to be black!
WashDrySpin
White gays are the worst racist because they think because they are gay so I couldn’t be racist and if I am racist it’s not my fault because I don’t know enough POC to correct my behavior
Cam
It’s a well known racist image. But it’s cute how you’re trying to deflect.
frapachino
Ignore the mob nobody takes them seriously!
Kangol2
Keep screaming into the void, Adolf!
ShowMeGuy
We always need something to bitch about.
Remember the gold shoes and black shoes that had big red lips printed on the tops of them? The gold ones weren’t racist but the same image on a black background instead of a gold background…… magically became a racist pair of shoes. If the graphic isn’t racist when printed on a green, yellow, red, white, or pink background……how does it become racist when printed on a black background?
I’m starting to think some people want to find racist stuff in everything even if they have to pretend.
Hdtex
Sounds about white. Your privilege is deafening.
Cam
Unless you have a ton of these masks in your closet, you’ll have to explain how not using racist imagery is so upsetting.
andy0529
Why I haven’t stepped foot in a D.C, Gay bar as a POC, since the early 2000’s.
WashDrySpin
White gay bars have a LONG history of racism
ThinkPlease
It’s fun listening to the kneejerk whiners, isn’t it? 🙂 Yes, we’ve seen ’em in all skin tones…we’re racists the instant we don’t agree.
It’s why I dislike most modern very far leftists. The “my way or the highway” attitude simply results in me instantly taking the highway.
Hdtex
How very white of you.
ThinkPlease
HDTex: Yes, exactly, I’m not at all insulted by the white ones. Because I’m actually reasonable.
Also, get that Tourette’s Syndrome problem checked.
WashDrySpin
ThinkPlease is exactly what you father should have done before being number 14 in a gang bang with your mom when he removed the condom
ThinkPlease is also exactly what you mom should have done when her family saved up for the abortion but instead she bought meth while pregnant with you
I see why you use this name it is your heritage
ThinkPlease
@WashDrySpin: Well, la, sir, you do say the nicest things. Such is always the domain of somebody who simply cannot argue the point in question.
Stop blaming me for your mindless prejudices and go find something else to do.
Luxury
This is ridiculous. That is not a “blackface” mask and it’s a shame that people want it to be so badly. The “racism in the Gay community” narrative is the niche social topic of the moment and just like any other topic that social media bastardizes, people are now just looking for any and everything to fit that narrative. The headline to this post suggesting that this mask is IN FACT a “blackface” mask is also disappointing. It is VERY much open to interpretation.
Luxury
*or trending social topic rather
Cam
It’s cute how the people come out of the woodwork to scream about what OTHER groups should find offensive.
The next time somebody calls us Fa**ots D*kes, Tra**ys etc… I’ll make sure to call up the Family Research Council or Chik Fil e and ask them whether or not we can be offended.
WashDrySpin
as I said before many white gays are the worst because they think they deserve a pass for being gay while getting all the privilege of being white…
White gays are always telling the minorities in the gay “community” what they need to do, how they should look and act in order for their approval…which is funny because I have NEVER needed and wanted white gay culture’s approval it is steeped in classism and racism
Chrisk
WashDrySpin
Let’s show how racist others are by being a racist ass ourselves. Yep. That’ll work. Lol
WashDrySpin
ChrisK…you know I am right and have no counter other than to say that it is racist…sorry but many gay white men are racist, ageist and classist…look around and accept what I see as a gay POC
Hell just look at the advertisements in gay media…
Jerry
What kind of idiot does not recognize this mask as blackface? God people are so stupid.
ThinkPlease
Anybody who’s seen them in the rainbow of other colors they come in. Calling people “idiot” and “stupid” also really doesn’t help…we tend to simply disregard anything you say. You stupid idiot. See?
Cam
@ThinkPlease
Unless you market these masks you seem WAAAAY to invested in defending them.
Chrisk
Dear Jerry,
Kindly fu*ck off with your own arrogant stupidity.
Jesus Christ some of you woke people are just totally batshit insane. You do realize you can buy these masks online and I think they’re cute. They come in many different designs and I’d buy them and never once thing OMG how racist of me.
ThinkPlease
@Cam: I enjoy laughing at people who can’t understand basic logic, read simple sentences, or answer with anything but what they think is an insulting one-liner “that’ll really get ’em” but actually doesn’t mean much.
Usually the race-hysteria posts hit all the buttons on those so they’re fun to hang around in. You can always find plenty of folks expending their energy and blaming their failure to thrive on The Whites instead of…actually getting out there and thriving.
The hypocrisy and irony is very, very funny. I got over the sad and sympathetic aspect a long time ago when I realized they chose this.
Cam
@ThinkPlease
A lot of rambling words saying nothing.
We get it, you’re here to defend these racist masks, you’ve continually claimed they come in all sorts of colors, aren’t racist, etc… but can’t seem to post any links proving your point.
ThinkPlease
@Cam: “A lot of rambling words saying nothing.”
No, you’re just blaming me for your lack of education and insight again. Go fix that and get back to me, plus learn a bit of empathy and get off the couch.
We’re quite done here. Like I said, you keep accusing me of the reasons why a community can’t achieve. I don’t have that power, and wouldn’t use it even if I did…but again, I don’t have it. Case in point, look at you. You can whine the same thing for hours, but can’t look up a link yourself. Spend ten minutes, don’t blame me. Get off your ass, don’t expect me to do the work. I never solved my students’ homework for them and sure, that got me called racist too. Of course, I never did it for the white kids either. There’s a lesson in there as well–that you will fail to take.
Again, we’re quite done here because you have nothing to do but try to pin blame for your inabilities.
WashDrySpin
ThinkPlease is a racist who will only interact with a POC if they are “whitewashed” and complement him in a way that shows that he has “power” over said POC…which is really typical for MANY white gay men
Cam
@ThinkPlease
How interesting, here we have “ThinkPlease who keeps posting multiple times, and claiming over and over that the masks come in multiple colors. Yet as soon as I ask for proof of this, suddenly the troll posts that “we’re done”.
Well isn’t that suspicious.
Giggler
I would just like to bring to everyone’s attention that when @thinkplease mentioned not helping his students, he separated out the blacks from the whites.
Like when Trump separated out the blacks from MAGA, mentioning how MAGA “likes” blacks too.
I wouldnt pay attention to what he says, moreso how he says things and the frequency with which he is all over this board. He’s having a good time.
And 2 things when calling a racist a racist.
1. Either they already know
OR
2. They’re in denial and won’t be convinced
I don’t like to bring extra luggage on flights with me, but in THIS case……I’d just carry on.
Me2
Hmm… It’s obvious to me that this was his sassy and passive aggressive attempt to say “f… you” to blacks. He knows that since the masks come in a variety of colors he could easily try to say that choosing the black face option was casual and innocent, therefore making it seem that anyone who called him out is paranoid and overreacting, and he would be believed. These types of racist microagressions are very common in the gay community. I’m glad that people are seeing through the bs and applying pressure for change. Sometimes it seems like gay rights & equality had little to do with all inclusiveness, and more to do with gay white men gaining full equal access to all of the privilege afforded to white straight males.
Creamsicle
Admittedly that is a racist caricature, but that particular racist caricature has become popular in japan, where their cultural and ethnic homogeneity allowed the racist caricature to be considered cute. Don’t believe me? Google the original Jynx in Pokemon. The design is a blackface woman with blonde hair and thick red or pink lips, it had to be altered when the shows and games were localized to the States.
Japan doesn’t even have that one token black friend to tell them that racism is bad and perpetuating racist iconography is also bad, no matter how cutesy you make it. Sometimes the cute racist products they make get so popular that they’re exported abroad. It’s not an excuse, but it is how these microaggressions can perpetuate without malice.
It doesn’t excuse the other microaggressions against POC alleged on twitter. Gay spaces aren’t immune from racism, after all.
Cam
Also, this wasn’t in Japan, this was in Washington DC where considering that the city is over 40% Black, and this bar has had issues with complaints like this in the past, so it’s a stretch to say that there was no awareness.
WashDrySpin
Gay spaces aren’t immune from racism, after all.
THANK YOU this is some thing that gay white men need to embrace, hear and acknowledge while tackling it
Alex_S
The problem is not that someone wore this mask, the problem is that this kind of masks is produced and is out there to buy.
TonyPSP
I looked online and could not find anything (except the $890.00 Gucci sweater) for sale that looked like that mask. Googled in several different phrases but no luck.
Cam_e_cams
Just let the record show that @Cam is not the same Cam from the original post. Ok, carry on.
hayesj
It shouldn’t but it still amazes me when I see some of the poor choices people make.
TonyPSP
Couldn’t find this mask for sale anywhere. I see Gucci took their $890.00 sweater that depicted blackface off the shelf. Gays have a long history of racist behavior. I saw it as a white gay guy in bars and other social gatherings. Our views have changed over the years as we have seen the similarities of racism and homophobia. To deny it happened makes us as guilty as the guy wearing the mask.
CityguyUSA
Whoever said gays were smart? Stupidity.