Booted patron Susan Miller talks to news media (Photo: KPTV-TV)
THE GUERRILLA ANGEL REPORT — Oregon State Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian: “Blocking the entire group [of transgender patrons] from visiting the P Club in reaction to rumors that the establishment ‘is a tranny bar’ is an overreaction, is unfair, and is on its face unlawful discrimination.”
I’ve been covering this story about this Portland, Oregon bar owner who booted a group of regular transgender patrons from the P-Club by leaving a message on one of the patron’s phone. That message ended up being evidence in a state civil rights investigation into the bar owner, Chris Penner’s actions against them.
It was yesterday that Avakian announced his findings. The state is to announce formal charges at a later date and set a hearing for Penner. Penner’s attorney Jonathan Radmacher has indicated that they don’t agree with the findings and that the investigation didn’t interview their witnesses.
I wrote this after the state jumped into the investigation: http://lexiecannes.wordpress.com/2012/09/24/bar-under-state-investigation-for-booting-group-of-transgender-patrons-changes-name-format
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This is one of the messages Penner left for a member of the group that prompted the investigation: “I’ve done some investigating why my sales are declining and there’s two things I keep hearing: People think that a) we’re a tranny bar or b) we’re a gay bar. We are neither. People are not coming in because they just don’t want to be there on a Friday night now.”
You can read more details on the whole incident here: http://lexiecannes.wordpress.com/2012/08/10/state-investigates-bar-after-owner-tells-transgender-patrons-told-not-to-return/
Booted P-Club patron Susan Miller talks to news media (Photo: KPTV-TV)
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Filed under: Discrimination, Equality, Civil Rights, Transgender, Transsexual, Trans, Brad Avakian, chris penner, oregon, Oregon State Labor Commission, P Club, portland
I am pleased with the State of Oregon, its nice to see the government actually follow the law and support us, I hope the bar owner, the bar staff and the community will learn, I have to admit that I was surprised by this news as I have always found Portland to be a very accepting city with a lot of diversity. I am also proud of our sisters who refused to just let it go and walk away, Thanks for the report.
We all need to stay involved, todays hate is tomarrows hate.
I’m confused (but pleased). I thought discrimination of this sort was allowed on private property in the US. If not, how come Mich Fest still can ban trans people?
I don’t know the details of the Mich Fest, but a bar is generally open to the public — this wasn’t a private club.