Gay couple kicked out of bar for kissing on the dancefloor

Hazys · 23-08-2011 06:45PM #1

http://www.thejournal.ie/cork-bar-accused-of-kicking-gay-couple-out-for-kissing-207647-Aug2011/

A POPULAR CORK NIGHTSPOT has been accused of asking a gay couple to leave the premises after they kissed on its dancefloor.

A doorman at the Old Oak bar on Oliver Plunkett Street in the city asked a student and his boyfriend to leave the bar late on Friday night, having earlier given them a verbal warning following an earlier kiss.

Witnesses to the incident told TheJournal.ie that though the pair had been given an initial warning by the doorman following their first kiss, they kissed again on the bar’s dancefloor at around 1:30am.

Moments later, security staff at the bar approached them and asked them to leave the premises.

The student involved declined to comment when contacted, saying he was seeking legal advice on the matter and that it was being reported to the Equality Authority.

When contacted, the Old Oak asked that queries be sent via email, and it had not responded to TheJournal.ie‘s queries at the time of publication.

The bar’s Facebook page, where many had left comments voicing their anger at Friday’s events, was deleted last night.

Discrimination in the provision of goods and services on the basis of sexual orientation is prohibited under the Equal Status Act 2000.

Pretty f'd up in this day and age.

I live in the Massachussetts where gay marriage is legal and its not uncommon to see gay folks holding hands walking down the street without being bothered or anything.

In my home town Cork, it'd be very rare see to openly gay people on the street but even with that i'm still very suprised that there is that level of discrimination.

Even with the recognization of same-sex unions, i'd have to think Ireland is not as open to gay people as most other progessive countries.

Sonics2k · 23-08-2011 06:46PM

In before shít storm debate.

My name is URL · 23-08-2011 06:49PM

I've seen straight people get kicked out of bars for eating the faces of each other. Is it not a rule in loads of nightclubs that there's to be no kissing on the dance-floor?

marty1985 · 23-08-2011 06:49PM

In before Catholic Church!

Sonics2k · 23-08-2011 06:51PM

My name is URL wrote: »

I've seen straight people get kicked out of bars for eating the faces of each other. Is it not a rule in loads of nightclubs that there's to be no kissing on the dance-floor?

Old Oak isn't a nightclub, just a regular pub.

I've been in there plenty of times and seen lots of PDA's from straight couples.
It really honestly is a case of a homophobic bouncer with a power trip.

later12 · 23-08-2011 06:51PM

Hazys wrote: »

I live in the Massachussetts where gay marriage is legal

but not federally recognized...

Ireland is plenty progressive, in any country you will get pockets of homophobia/ racism/ religious bigotry/ [enter other small-mindedness here]

I dislike the tone that you seem to believe this is illustrative of Irish society, I have often - yes, often - seen gay and lesbian couples walking around holding hands in Dublin city centre.

Maybe you are not really in touch with how progressive mainstream Irish society is in this sense, because you don't live here.

jive · 23-08-2011 06:56PM

Woah, woah, hold on. You mean a bouncer was unfair? The bouncer didn't treat people equally? (brb every 16 year old girl with a short skirt not getting ID'd) Honestly get over it. The gay couple were warned and continued to do what they were told not to. I've seen straight people being kicked out of places as well but it never made the papers because it's a non-story, just like this one.

Aoifey! · 23-08-2011 06:57PM

I was wondering how long it'd take for this to reach AH.

If it is as the story says, just an innocent couple of kisses and they got kicked out, then it totally out of order and something needs to be done.

However, if they were going completely over top, then it's fair enough to get kicked out (as with a straight couple).

WindSock · 23-08-2011 06:58PM

Tie a pink ribbon around the Old Oak pub.

Hazys · 23-08-2011 07:01PM

later10 wrote: »

but not federally recognized...

Ireland is plenty progressive, in any country you will get pockets of homophobia/ racism/ religious bigotry/ [enter other small-mindedness here]

I dislike the tone that you seem to believe this is illustrative of Irish society, I have often - yes, often - seen gay and lesbian couples walking around holding hands in Dublin city centre.

Maybe you are not really in touch with how progressive mainstream Irish society is in this sense, because you don't live here.

Well to be fair you shouldnt compare Ireland to the US as a whole. There are many states in the US in which gay people would be treated much worse than in Ireland. I was just comparing Ireland to Massachussetts. Can you ever compare Ireland to another place without being anti-Ireland or something?

Yes everwhere has bigots, but some places have less than others. In Boston the majority of gay people live in Cambridge or the South End where on some streets the majority of restaurants and bars are gay. Saying that places like South Boston would be less open to the gay community.

It was only 3 years ago when i lived in Ireland so i doubt things have changed that much.

23-08-2011 07:01PM

Hazys wrote: »

its not uncommon to see gay folks holding hands walking down the street without being bothered or anything.

In my home town Cork, it'd be very rare see to openly gay people on the street but even with that i'm still very suprised that there is that level of discrimination.

I think the issue here is that you see less openly gay/straight/bi/anything sexual people in Ireland. We're not generally a touchy feely people, and I myself wouldn't normally hold my boyfriend's hand on the street. We're straight, but we just don't act coupley in public. I've known/know plenty of gay people who have never been discriminated against, and don't know any who have been. There's plenty of gay people on Cork streets, they just don't walk down the street eating the face of other people.

Even with the recognization of same-sex unions, i'd have to think Ireland is not as open to gay people as most other progessive countries.

Why is that? Judging an entire race of people because of the actions of one person in ~4million? Sounds pretty discriminatory to me...

Edit: Just saw your last post. You can compare Ireland to somewhere else without being "anti-Ireland", but when you compare Ireland to Massachusetts under the conditions of "Massachusetts recognises gay marriage" versus "one person in Ireland did something anti-gay one day", you're not exactly being fair. Has there never been even one incident of homophobia in your entire state? I'd say there has been, and I doubt anyone with a bit of sense judged the entire state over it.

Pure Sound · 23-08-2011 07:02PM

Disgraceful behaviour from the security and they should be punished for discrimination, this type of thing should not happen in this day and age

later12 · 23-08-2011 07:03PM

jive wrote: »

Honestly get over it. The gay couple were warned and continued to do what they were told not to.

In fairness there is a valid question over how often straight couples are kicked out for similar behaviour.

This should all be on CCTV, so the magnitude of the PDA should be able to be easily established. If the couple have any case whatsoever, then they should have no problem in winning that case.

My name is URL · 23-08-2011 07:04PM

Sonics2k wrote: »

Old Oak isn't a nightclub, just a regular pub.

I've been in there plenty of times and seen lots of PDA's from straight couples.
It really honestly is a case of a homophobic bouncer with a power trip.

Does it have a dancefloor as is mentioned in the article? Is it a young people's pub or one for the auld fellas?

I'm not trying to say that it's right that they were kicked out, it's not.. but perhaps the bouncer in question thought that their intimacy would cause problems rather than see it as a problem in and of itself?

TheZohanS · 23-08-2011 07:05PM

They were given a direction by security which they ignored, only after that were they removed from the premises. They were being unreasonable by not complying with House Rules. Nothing to see here, move along.

Sonics2k · 23-08-2011 07:06PM

My name is URL wrote: »

Does it have a dancefloor as is mentioned in the article? Is it a young people's pub or one for the auld fellas?

I'm not trying to say that it's right that they were kicked out, it's not.. but perhaps the bouncer in question thought that their intimacy would cause problems rather than see it as a problem in and of itself?

It's a typically middle-aged bar, with a dance floor. But it has a pretty large younger crowd as well.

I've actually come across the bouncer in question a few times, and he honest to fúck is a complete douchebag at the best of times.

HalloweenJack · 23-08-2011 07:07PM

My name is URL wrote: »

I've seen straight people get kicked out of bars for eating the faces of each other. Is it not a rule in loads of nightclubs that there's to be no kissing on the dance-floor?

You can't be serious? What nightclub was this?

Considering nightclubs get a large amount of their business from people wanting to get pissed and pull someone on the dancefloor, it'd be suicide for them to kick people out for kissing. Anything, that's fair enough.

I'd understand if the lads were **** each other on the dancefloor but kissing is harmless. If they're going to give **** to one couple for kissing, they should give it to everyone. I don't for a second believe that any bouncer would do that, though.

It looks like an open and shut case of discrimination and the club/the bouncer should have the book thrown at them.

Pure Sound · 23-08-2011 07:08PM

TheZohan wrote: »

They were given a direction by security which they ignored, only after that were they removed from the premises. They were being unreasonable by not complying with House Rules. Nothing to see here, move along.

I would question why they were given that direction in the first place, surely that alone is discriminatory, would this happen to a couple that were not gay

Blisterman · 23-08-2011 07:08PM

According to a poster on the other thread about this, the pub's facebook page had photos of straight couples kissing on the dance floor.

So it's not just a case of house rules.

later12 · 23-08-2011 07:09PM

Hazys wrote: »

It was only 3 years ago when i lived in Ireland so i doubt things have changed that much.

Well it isn't exactly clear that your experiences were representatively accurate even when you did live here, going by what seems to be your perception of the less than progressive nature of Irish society.

Also since you have left a few years ago civil partnership has been enacted into law in Ireland, and it seems pretty likely to me that PDAs have possibly become more common even in those latter few years. Ireland has tons of gay clubs/ nights, loads of gay youths are out to their families, in a practical sense Ireland does not have a homophobia problem.

If you are trying to suggest that this event in Cork is illustrative of a broad problem in society, then I'm sorry, but you're certainly wrong.

WindSock · 23-08-2011 07:09PM

Do you think he would have done the same if it were two chicks?

later12 · 23-08-2011 07:11PM

TheZohan wrote: »

They were being unreasonable by not complying with House Rules.

Who said it was a house rule? Is it?

stovelid · 23-08-2011 07:11PM

Hard to judge until I know the facts. I have known heterosexual couples to get asked to leave pubs before for PDAs.

There might also be the factor of not wanting a row lo break out if homophobic meatheads spotted them smooching.

Who knows.

I doubt I would care enough to launch a campaign if I was booted out of a club for getting off with somebody but then again I'm forty so my days of making a enraged Voltarean stand for the right to drunkenly grope my partner in nightclubs in front of everybody isn't high of my list of human rights activities.

WindSock · 23-08-2011 07:13PM

stovelid wrote: »

There might also be the factor of not wanting a row lo break out if homophobic meatheads spotted them smooching.

Then they should be the ones removed.

mikemac · 23-08-2011 07:13PM

WindSock wrote: »

Do you think he would have done the same if it were two chicks?

I've never been in a pub in Cork but elsewhere, yes two girls have been removed for doing the same on the dancefloor

Forest Master · 23-08-2011 07:13PM

Wtf is a PDA? Like a palm pilot?

mikemac · 23-08-2011 07:15PM

public display of affection

py2006 · 23-08-2011 07:16PM

In fairness they were probably asked to leave because there were some idiots giving them dodgy looks and they were afraid things would kick off!

Still though, shocking stuff!!

MungBean · 23-08-2011 07:18PM

mikemac wrote: »

I've never been in a pub in Cork but elsewhere, yes two girls have been removed for doing the same on the dancefloor

I've seen it many times down this end and never one spot of bother. Its probably down to individual bouncers how they manage this type of thing and I'd say (if it was a case of just kissing) the bouncer just had a problem with it.

stovelid · 23-08-2011 07:18PM

WindSock wrote: »

stovelid wrote: »

There might also be the factor of not wanting a row lo break out if homophobic meatheads spotted them smooching.

Then they should be the ones removed.

Quit the pc lecture. In not condoning it, just wondering why they would bother kicking them out a It's bound to cause negative publicity.

mikemac · 23-08-2011 07:19PM

he was seeking legal advice on the matter and that it was being reported to the Equality Authority.

Ca-ching

Skunkle wrote: »

the bouncer just had a problem with it.

Maybe the bouncer doesn't have an issue but management call the shots so management wanted them out
Let's not blame the bouncer when we don't know what happened

Gay couple kicked out of bar for kissing on the dancefloor

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