Discrimination

There was a lot of misinformation shown on the main stream media (MSM) in Australia yesterday regarding the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunals decision last week to grant the Peel Hotel in Melbourne an exemption to the Equal Opportunities Act by allowing the pub to prohibit entry to non-homosexual men.

Most of the MSM and right-wing blogs were up in arms at the hypocrisy of the LGBTQ movement for wanting this discrimination, stating that the publican wanted to ban ALL non-homosexual men.

But they miss the point, the exemption gained by the pub is not to ban individuals, but to limit large groups who are not gay men. The pub has, in the past, had problems with groups using the pub as a “spectacle or entertainment”. This has changed the atmosphere in the pub to the extent that the gay male patrons felt intimidated.

The publican has made it clear that he does not want a blanket ban – just the ability to turn away large groups that would change the atmosphere in the pub or who would create a threat to the gay patrons.

As a gay man, I am actually quite proud that the publican has taken this pre-emptive action to ensure that the Peel remains a comfortable venue for gay men.

Just as an aside, I was in the Peel a few years ago and I did feel intimidated! But that was because of the owners little dog who took a dislike to me. LOL