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Boston's first new queer bar in a long time opens tonight

Boston Restaurant Talk reports that Dani's Queer Bar opens tonight at 907 Boylston St. in the Back Bay, in the space where the Pour House used to be.

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otherwise a civil rights violation.

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Voting closed 38

Surely you know better than that. Anybody can go to Dani's. Whether you like it enough to stay is up to you, but they're not going to turn you away just because you have a penis and are wearing a Sox cap on game day.

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Voting closed 91

I'll go myself some night.

Bear in mind that bouncers / maitre d's at the door telling you "this is a queer bar" would be discrimination.

If they let the bros in, they can become a beloved Boston institution.

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Voting closed 32

Thank you for your service. Glad you are able to take an evening to do some research, which you seem to already have a preferred outcome to, this most pressing issue in Boston.

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Voting closed 51

He's an internet loudmouth bully. We don't even know he lives anywhere near us.

Leaving mommy's basement is a bridge too far - so he'll play "lets pretend I'm a victim" instead while feeding his obsessions over children's genitalia on the darkweb.

Sad little bro is sadbroing again.

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Voting closed 67

The Pour House is missed, glad it wasn't replaced by another CVS.

They should let the bros in, not only is it the law, it's also profitable as the bros drink a lot.

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Voting closed 25

but has any evidence been presented that they do not plan to "let the bros in"?

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Voting closed 63

see anon's comment below. Not a space for everyone - "a space for Sapphic, Trans and non-binary community members."

They might have problems paying the rent if limited to that client base.

As I said at the beginning - we will see. I'll visit at my convenience.

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Voting closed 24

maybe their own statements?

Oh just stop. You're going to do yourself an injury reaching so hard.

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Voting closed 45

The bros, who are gatekeepers of social conformity, need a safe space.

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Voting closed 89

are the majority of firefighters, cops, soldiers, sailors, marines, construction laborers, pilots, engineers, surgeons, linemen, plumbers, mechanics. Order from disorder.

They do keep "society" going, which does require a certain amount of conformity.

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Voting closed 31

The contortion levels are reaching that magnitude.

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Voting closed 29

The "Bros" are boisterous college students unless you're talking about Finance Bros or their subset Silicon Valley Bros.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bro_culture

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Voting closed 27

So every bar has to be choke full of bros to become a beloved Boston institution? You do not know the demographics of Boston if you think they are the dominant group. They are the loudest and most pampered by the established bars, but Boston is majority non white and non bro.

Report back your experience if it’s a safe space for bros please.

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Voting closed 55

How the fuckity fuck is calling your own fucking queer bar a queer bar discrimination?

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Voting closed 50

race, color, religious creed, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation.

you're not allowed to discriminate within those protected classes.

There is no hierarchy of protected classes - within the ambit of public accommodations it's as illegal to discriminate by sexual orientation as it is by race or sex, subject to legal exceptions (eg single sex gyms).

There's also no discrimination within the protected classes - it's as illegal to discriminate against white people or straight people as anyone else.

That's the law as written and affirmed by case law. White guys have won discrimination cases.

So, do you think opening "Dan's Straight Bar" with announcements of being a "place for straight people" would fly for very long? Or "Jack's White Bar?" Because legally it's the same action. Spare me your intersectional discourse, we're talking about the law here.

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Voting closed 29

You're doing the most bro of all bro things: DARVO. Put a sock in it.

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Voting closed 63

“Well if they can have a BET tv channel why can’t we have a WET!?” said my 13 year old 7th grade classmate, thinking he just dropped a truth bomb.

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Voting closed 46

Don Jr.

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Voting closed 41

So by your own logical argument you shouldn't have a problem with a Queer, Straight, or White bars @deselby; What am I missing?

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Voting closed 22

...

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Voting closed 28

Telling you may not enter because ... is discrimination. Engaging in conduct that is designed to dissuade you from enterring due to one of the classes where discrmination is banned is discrimination. A doorperson letting you know that the bar is geared toward a gay/lesbian clientel is not.

This reminds me of a neighbor who claimed that a vendor - not even working for her (but working for her landlord) asked if she was Jewish. She claimed the question was illegal.

The question out of left field, the questioner had no reason to ask, her religious cultural identity was none of his business and this suggested that the questioner has psychological problems with a fixation on Jews. But the question was not illegal since there was not a hiring context.

It is not illegal to ask questions unless the context prohibits the question. It is not illegal to let anyone entering the bar know if it is geared toward a gay/lesbian clientele. It is a remark that could be off-putting and probably is unnecessary. For a doorperson to make the statement is probably just dumb on the part of management. But it is not illegal.

Or is the issue actually an argument looking for an excuse to be angry? That happens when a person just wants to be heard but does not know how to go about being heard. So they create mountains out of molehills hoping to be heard.

With all the noise in our world, where in proportion to noise, there is little heard, that is understandable.

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Voting closed 35

Legally not much difference from telling a black person at the door "this is an Irish bar."

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Voting closed 27

Especially not one specializing in public-accommodations issues.

Because there is no law prohibiting an establishment from saying it's an "Irish" or "Italian" restaurant, even in its name, and, oh, Jesus H. Christ, I could say more but this is such a stupid argument I think I'll go do something more interesting.

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Voting closed 71

telling other-than-Irish-coded people "this is an Irish bar"

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Voting closed 25

You'd be laughed out of court by the judge for the worst lack of standing they've seen in a long time.

Come back when you try to enter and you're actually refused admission by a mean bouncer telling you you don't look queer. Until then, you're just auditioning for one of those Russian-funded social-media positions.

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Voting closed 54

They're reknowned for their hospitality and professional staff.
The Eire Pub and their "Gentleman's Bar" sign came up in a previous post about this new place.

Nobody messes with women nor anyone else there.

Quick way to get the bum's rush and be barred.

Never seen it happen at any other Irish bar either.

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Voting closed 22

This is the same troll who claimed discrimination against Pryde. Typical of the type, their "logic" overrules actual legal precedent and determination.

Not worth engaging, all they want is to keep repeating the same false flag arguments because they have nothing better to do.

Only response needed is, "Go ahead, go. And if they mention the establishment caters to gay people, sue them. I'm really interested in seeing how far you get. And if you prove the rest of us wrong, I'll be the first to congratulate you."

Then, as you say, go do something more useful and interesting, like reading about immigrants eating cats.

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Voting closed 42

Grow the fuck up.

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Voting closed 47

This reminds me of a neighbor who claimed that a vendor - not even working for her (but working for her landlord) asked if she was Jewish. She claimed the question was illegal.

The question out of left field, the questioner had no reason to ask, her religious cultural identity was none of his business and this suggested that the questioner has psychological problems with a fixation on Jews.

Not that this is relevant to your overall point, but in my experience the overwhelming majority of the time "Are you Jewish?" is a question posed by fellow Jews. (be they prosletizing chabadniks or simply looking to play Jewish geography).

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Voting closed 31

The relevance is that a person may ask another person any question they want outside of specific situations. If the context is employment or housing then the question is an illegal question. But any other context a person can ask another anything. But like much of life just because one can do a thing is not sufficient reason for doing the thing.

I also met the fellow whose question distressed my neighbor. Even wound up hiring him for a project. Which was enough to tell me that the fellow had a problem with recognizing basic social boundaries. Such as inquiring about one's religion without cause or reason. In simplistic terms, the guy was being a creep.

But there is a weird thing here. Do folks who are Jewish make a point of asking other people if they are Jewish? Like the way certain Christians are addicted to asking others if they were saved?

Given the context of Gaydar and Marjorie Crazy Greene's Jewish Space Lasers (if only) this opens up a joke that I could see one of the greatest American comedians - Mel Brooks - coming out with.

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Voting closed 15

Yes, I'm aware of your point and not taking issue with it, which is why I started my musing comment with "Not that this is relevant to your overall point..."

Not everybody is arguing with you.

But there is a weird thing here. Do folks who are Jewish make a point of asking other people if they are Jewish?

Yes. One of the rare proselytizing (but only to non-religious Jews) sects of Judaism is Chabad which goes around asking if people are Jewish and if they are tries to convince them to wrap teffilin (engage in a religious practice).

On a less annoying level, with Jews being such a small segment of the population, it's a nice cultural connection and lots of people like playing "Jewish geography," in which you try to find all people you may know in common.

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Voting closed 18

You're right. I did not read carefully. I apologize for misreading. Your words admitted that your statement was not relevant to my point (so what was the relevance?). Now, how much shall we go back and forth in what is clearly now an argument? Your turn.

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Voting closed 18

just because their boy friend crashed, burned, and pooped his diaper in front of 67 million people.

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Voting closed 65

"they're not going to turn you away just because you have a penis and are wearing a Sox cap on game day."

Wanna bet?

There's quite a history of separatism is what we used to call "gay bars". I'm old enough to remember Saints in the financial district in the 1970s. A lesbians bar that had a "no men" policy and two very large female bouncers stood at the door to ensure that it was enforced. And seldom was a woman seen in the bars frequented by men like Sporters or the 1270 (for most of it's existence). I might add that men didn't really have a desire to go to Saints, and women didn't care to go to Sporters or 1270 during it's heyday, so it was all pretty self-selecting.

Granted, today's non-binary queer world has a lot more nuance and shades of things, but I doubt that the Sox cap wearing penis owner you mention will have the red carpet rolled out for them in a place that describes itself, on it's Instagram page, as "a space for Sapphic, Trans and non-binary community members". I myself am quite curious to see what Dani's is like as a modern "queer bar", but as an over 60, white, cisgender gay male, I don't know how welcome I will be made to feel.

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Voting closed 23

Me and my bro got rebuffed there by said bouncers back in the 80s. Near Batterymarch St. We were just hitting the bars, saw someplace new.

We did have a beer at the old Citadel down near Avery Street though

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Voting closed 26

Because you were underage and they were under scrutiny that other places didn't have to deal with.

Sure.

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Voting closed 41

and not a baby face.

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Voting closed 22

I was well into my 30s then

That explains a great deal.

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Voting closed 22

Pulling a 24 hour stint at the bathhouse?

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Voting closed 21

It's not the 1970s, anymore!

Why don't you ask, I dunno, a place like Jacques (or however they spell it) what they feel about all the bridesmaids parties they've had to endure? They may not like it, they may not advertise themselves as a destination for bridal parties, and yet ...

Obviously a place called Dani's Queer Bar is hoping to cater to a particular clientele but so what?

First, we're all having a simply delightful strawman argument here - the place hasn't even opened yet (5 p.m., I think) and yet, here comes all this sobbing and gnashing of teeth and renting of garments about how they're excluding, oh, noes, bros in backwards baseball caps who simply have no other place in the largest city in New England to get a Budweiser (oh, wait, is it OK for them to drink that again?), when there's no proof they're doing that (or will do that) at all.

If I really want a burger, am I being discriminated against by an Indian restaurant? If I have a pounding headache, but need a drink, am I being discriminated against by a club on Warrenton Street with the techno turned up to 11?

This is a great city, really, lots of options and if you go into Dani's and find it's not to your taste? You won't go back. That's hardly the same as them posting big scowling bouncers at the door to keep you out because of your sexual preference.

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Voting closed 52

In 1985 and before discrimination on the basis of both gender and skin color were common in gay and lesbian bars. The discrimination on the basis of gender was mutual. Gay men wanted to hang out with each other and find Mr. Right or Mr. Right Now. Lesbians wanted to hang out with each other for the same reasons. These were nearly the only places where gays and lesbians could safely associate without harrassment or worse.

Trying to compare today to 1985 and earlier is specious. It is sloppy thinking. Donald the Rapist Trump notwithstanding, the US has changed.

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Voting closed 16

...another thing that was not a thing in 1985: protection on the basis of sexual orientation.

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Voting closed 17

our resident legal scholar once again sets his feet to bravely stand for the status quo. curious!

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Voting closed 25

About the generally challenging environment for bars/restaurants today. And the fact that the Back Bay isn't exactly the center of lesbian life in Boston.

Plus there's the old line about the difference between a lesbian and a canoe
...

Sometimes the canoe will tip.

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Voting closed 31

What's that stench? Oh yeah...

WON'T SOMEONE THING OF THE MEIGN

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Voting closed 27

You could not be more wrong.

Gay/lesbian/queer bars were killed by the internet and mainstream acceptance. If you want to hook up, there's an app for that which doesn't require buying overpriced drinks. If you want to hang out with your friends/bf/gf/partner every bar is a queer bar now. There are maybe 5 gay/lesbian bars left in Boston with a few gay nights other places.

I just think the economics will be tough -- the Back Bay isn't convenient for most of the potential clientele and people with two X chromosomes typically don't drink as much as people with an X and a Y.

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Voting closed 29

I just think the economics will be tough

Oh. That totally explains why you posted a "joke" that was derogatory of lesbians.

(telling me "I heard that joke from my lesbian friend" in 3..2..)

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Voting closed 15

Some people look for reasons to be outraged.

As far as jokes that are "derogatory of lesbians" go that one is about as tame as it gets. And it's relevant if it's ultimately hard to hire/keep waitstaff because, well, the tips are poor.

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Voting closed 26

As far as jokes that are "derogatory of lesbians" go that one is about as tame as it gets.

"about as tame as it gets"? "None" would be an acceptable number. Punching down is always a dick move, even if your fist is shriveled and tiny.

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Voting closed 16

You must be so sad that you can only masturbate to watching lesbian Harry Potter on MSNBC once a week now.

I forgot about the whole hierarchy of oppression where the only acceptable targets of humor these days are cis straight white men (as long as they are Republicans and either Christian or Jewish).

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Voting closed 17

From JP. They'll do fine if they're a good bar.

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Voting closed 23

  • Stops running at 12:30.
  • Is subject to frequent bustitution.
  • Still isn't as convenient as going to Midway or a house party.

It's not my money (fortunately) but I'm skeptical that the numbers will work.

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Voting closed 23

Sometimes you just know a certain headline or story is going to trigger some of the regulars one here. They are predictable as always. Some you already know what they are going to say before they say it.

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Voting closed 50

"This is what I get for reading the UHub comments instead of going outside :( "

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Voting closed 21