Boston's first new queer bar in a long time approved in the Back Bay

It's so rare for a place like this to open these days..

But I'm impressed that the Pour House closed 1800 years ago and the space was still available.

Of stupid grad student antics that might prevent my admission? Asking for a friend.

"Queer Bar" was actually in the zoning code.

unless they really really welcome everyone, including groups of bros going to and from Red Sox games. They will be tested.

They are on shaky ground with these public statements saying they are "aimed" for a group excluding several protected classes.

Legally, saying they're "aimed at LGBTQ+ women and non-binary people" is no different than saying you're aiming at white people, or straight men and women. All of the above are protected classes under the law.

Don't think you could cure the issue of "Chad's White Bar" by saying "Of course we welcome black people too."

The Eire gets away with the "Men's Bar" sign only as a legacy, and as a kind of joke. This is like the owner of the Eire saying today "We really aim for the male clientele."

MGL c.272 c.92A and 98 Discrimination in Public Accomodations

Section 92A. No owner, lessee, proprietor, manager, superintendent, agent or employee of any place of public accommodation, resort or amusement shall, directly or indirectly, by himself or another, publish, issue, circulate, distribute or display, or cause to be published, issued, circulated, distributed or displayed, in any way, any advertisement, circular, folder, book, pamphlet, written or painted or printed notice or sign, of any kind or description, intended to discriminate against or actually discriminating against persons of any religious sect, creed, class, race, color, denomination, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, which shall not include persons whose sexual orientation involves minor children as the sex object, nationality, or because of deafness or blindness, or any physical or mental disability, in the full enjoyment of the accommodations, advantages, facilities or privileges offered to the general public by such places of public accommodation, resort or amusement.

Section 98. Whoever makes any distinction, discrimination or restriction on account of race, color, religious creed, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, which shall not include persons whose sexual orientation involves minor children as the sex object, deafness, blindness or any physical or mental disability or ancestry relative to the admission of any person to, or his treatment in any place of public accommodation, resort or amusement, as defined in section ninety-two A, or whoever aids or incites such distinction, discrimination or restriction, shall be punished by a fine of not more than twenty-five hundred dollars or by imprisonment for not more than one year, or both, and shall be liable to any person aggrieved thereby for such damages as are enumerated in section five of chapter one hundred and fifty-one B; provided, however, that such civil forfeiture shall be of an amount not less than three hundred dollars; but such person so aggrieved shall not recover against more than one person by reason of any one act of distinction, discrimination or restriction. All persons shall have the right to the full and equal accommodations, advantages, facilities and privileges of any place of public accommodation, resort or amusement subject only to the conditions and limitations established by law and applicable to all persons. This right is recognized and declared to be a civil right.