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Protesters picket Denver gay bar over ID policy

Protesters picket Denver gay bar over ID policy

Photo by Charles Broshous

About 15 people gathered outside the Denver Wrangler Sunday during it’s famous Sunday afternoon Beer Bust, protesting from the sidewalk against what they call a discriminatory entrance policy.

The protest’s leader, Vito Marzano, began a boycott of the Wrangler in September after being denied entry August 31 while in drag, videotaping the event from his phone and later posting it as a YouTube video that has since been taken down. The Wrangler’s general manager Phil Newland said that the bar denies entry to anyone who shows up not matching their appearance on their ID card, because it would put the bar at risk of legal penalties if the patron turns out to be under 21 — but Marzano and other protesters say the policy discriminates based on gender expression. 

“It’s not about the one incident I had, but the whole policy,” Marzano said. “What we’re doing is trying to raise awareness about the discriminatory policy — we can’t fight for our rights against the right wing if we can’t be confident in our own community.”

Since the boycott started, the Wrangler has stated its entrance policy has nothing to do with gender identity or whether an ID card’s gender marker is ‘M’ or ‘F’  — that the policy addresses only the appearance of the person compared to the appearance in the photo ID. State law, which requires that bars refuse alcohol to minors, allows establishments to set their own policies on how to ensure that doesn’t happen, while another state law prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. 

“I think they’re exercising their rights,” Newland said as he looked on at the protesters from the bar entrance, “but my policy simply states that we have to be able to tell you are who you say you are, and that’s not going to change. Nor is it illegal. I have many customers who are trans men and women, and having an appearance-matching ID means they could get in quite easily.”

But protester Cait McGrath said she hasn’t seen enough of an effort from the Wrangler to address the protesters’ concerns.”I see what they’re trying to get at, but don’t agree,” she said. “There’s a belief that gender identity and drag queens are two separate things, but in reality there’s crossover. An entire portion of our community is being denied access.”

McGrath said some transgender people face legal or financial obstacles that prevent them from updating their ID photos, and gender expression is often more complex than ID cards show. “I’ve been watching the discussion between the Wrangler and the protest group, and feel our requests for a dialog have been denied,” she said. “We want to support the Wrangler but want the policy to change. I would come for charity events if the policy changed.”

Marzano said he wants to sit down with the Wrangler’s management, with the help of a mediator, to find an “equitable solution,” but the bar declined.

“They sent me a list of demands,” Newland said, “and when people send me a list of demands I don’t respond well. My job is to meet my customers’ demands.”

Still, Newland said, the focus on the Wrangler’s ID policy has been an opportunity to clarify what Newland says has been the policy since 2008, and reiterate exactly what procedure the Wrangler will follow.

 “It’s not a gender issue at all, we don’t look at ‘M’ or ‘F,'” he said. “It is a reasonable expectation under the law that an individual look like their government-issued photo ID. If we have to squint or imagine what they look like, my staff calls me over. The beauty of our policy is it’s so consistent to avoid discrimination and favoritism — it’s 100 percent the same for everyone.”

He said the recent attention to the policy has “helped clear misconceptions about what the policy is — we’ve seen a huge influx of women, straight couples and transgender people wanting to come in and test the waters for themselves,” Newland said. “That’s a good approach; if you want to understand something, go straight to the source,” he said.

The Wrangler was packed with people participating in Sunday’s Beer Bust running from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., which charged $8 per cup for unlimited refills of beer, this week raising funds for HIV prevention group “Hey Denver!” For the most part, patrons and the vastly-outnumbered protesters on the corner of 17th and Logan kept a quiet distance from each other. But one thing that’s clear is that the controversy has put community members and even groups of friends — literally — on opposite sides of the fence.

“Honestly, every bar is gonna have their own rules, but I don’t understand why they don’t just let them in,” said a Wrangler patron who was in casual clothing but identified himself by drag name Brandy Alexander Bordeaux, from within the fenced-off outdoor patio near where the protesters were standing beyond.  “I’m extremely neutral though,” he said. “I don’t mind going (to the Wrangler).”

Protester Christian Marcus said he’s been to the Wrangler as a patron, “and have friends inside right now,” he said. But he’s waiting for the bar to change it’s policy before he’s willing to return.

“I’ve been in the club scene in Denver and Boulder for 40 years, and never run into a situation where they matched IDs,” Marcus said. “If they change their policies, there’s ways to do it without changing the flavor and tone of their business, and I’d be pleased to see them change their policies.”

Not everyone expressed such clear scenarios for resolving the protest, especially after patrons had been drinking a while. One man said drag queens cause drama at any bar, while others said the story should be about how much money the Wrangler donates to LGBT community groups and causes. Some said protesters should focus on marriage equality because it affects more people. Another man said Newland was in a difficult situation explaining policies that aren’t necessarily his own preference — “it’s not like he’s the owner,” he said.

From the group of protesters, Markie Lindemulder — who’s better known as DJ Markie but used his legal name to emphasize that he was there representing only himself — was envisioning a community for everyone.

“I think bears are cool, and if I go to the Wrangler or Bearacuda, I’m going there to celebrate that,” Lindemulder said. “But letting a transgender person or drag queen in isn’t going to undermine that. I DJ at First Friday (the monthly women’s night at Tracks), which is welcome to everyone — straight people, gay men — and it doesn’t make it any less of a lesbian night. When straight people come to Pride it doesn’t make it any less gay Pride. Just better.”

“If they became completely welcoming, I’d celebrate this bar,” Lindemulder said. “It would be a start for them to change their ID policy, but I guess I’d see how they treated us when we got in.”

For Lindemulder, being left across the fence was an uncomfortable reality.

“I think it’s funny because I see those people in there giving us awkward glances, and it feels so strange to me to be isolated from these people — yet I’d defend any one of them against hatred or discrimination.”

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