Crossdressers-Haven.com

East of Eighth - A mainstream bar/club in the Chelesa area of Manhattan

Major **** hit the fan on Saturday. It has been learned through multiple sources that CDs were no longer welcome at this establishment. Apparently they did not want to be mistaken for a “trannie bar” as it was oh-so-tastefully put.

For the longest time, East Of Eighth has served as a meeting place for many CDs in the NY area to have a quick dinner & a drink before heading out to another destination, but for the most part was a regular restaurant/bar open to the mainstream public.

I can understand that they want the business of tourists passing through, but hey: diversity and alternative lifestyles are a major part of what NY is all about. This isn't some small town in the Bible Belt we're talking about.

What really gets my goat is 1) 3 years earlier The Girls Club and I used to run parties at this very establishment, bringing them plenty of business as a result. Perhaps I am partially to blame because I promoted that place to death. I brought them SO MUCH business, and not from CD only, but just as much MAINSTREAM business.

2) The whole concept of “my kind not being welcome” is nothing new to me. I have been through this in the past for more obvious reasons (that's no tan, ladies) for reasons apart from CDing. I remember not being allowed over certain friends’ houses as a child simply because of my skin color. The worst was about 12 years ago when I was asked to leave a bar - here in NY of all places!

It just REALLY turns my stomach. NOBODY deserves to be treated this way, especially in the year 2004.

The sad part is that businesses have every right to conduct themselves as they please (provided they don’t break any laws) and as a result, they have the ability to forego any moral obligations. They can treat you like dirt for no reason at all, simply because of who you are. Businesses have NO social regulations to follow anymore. Let’s face facts – the consumer is pretty much left out in the cold and forced to go to an establishment at her/his own risk.

I would have been fully happy in supporting them on a much more low key level such as going on a not-so-busy night for dinner & drinks - until one of those bartenders had to run his fat mouth.

Right off it is NOT my intent to tell people where to go. And I am NOT telling ANYONE to stay away completely. If you're looking for an inexpensive place to eat & have a drink it just might be better to go down there en drab. And I guess I am still reeling over this whole situation and I'm still in shock so not everything I type right now will make perfect sense. More details to come later.

But what I CAN clearly state right now is that (speaking personally) I can and will NO LONGER endorse this establishment after this.

I've faced enough of this crap during my childhood for being black. Now I have to put up with it for being CD? I couldn't run away from being black, so why should I hide the fact that I am a CD today? Well GUESS WHAT: There's NO WAY I'm going to compromise who I am! Never again. I could NEVER respect myself if I did.

That is all for now.

Hi Lorna!!!

In my opinion, that place sucks dead goats, ripe green ones!!

Do you know for a fact that it is management's policy, or one stupid bartender trying to make policy for the "establishment"? (I use that term in the most general sense!). It is not right for a place to discriminate in any way so long as a patron is not breaking any laws, and the last time I heard, CDing is not unlawful unless prostitution is involved. Yeah, I know, lots of things aren't right, but are done anyway. That sucks dead goats too!

Love,

Hi Lorna,

It is sad that they chose to do it for business reasons.

Regardless, thanks for the update on that club. I won't ever recommend it again to my non-CDing friends.

Great post you!!!

Beauty

Hey Lorna

That sucks majorly!! SHEESH!!!!!!

That joint won't get any recommendations from me, either



*Hugs & Love*

I have since pulled all of their links and information from every group and website that I am associated with.

I will no longer even recommend non CDing tourists there.

Just look at it this way...

It's their loss of your presence, money, and referals!

idiots will always destroy themselves eventually.... It is the darwin way!

Hi all,

Lorna,

I hear you; that kind of backward attitude doesn't seem to jibe with what I know of NYC (precious little, I have to add, but still!). Like Carolynn mentioned, though, just make sure that it's management, not the crew, that are running the ship. If so, I agree; it's time to deep-six East of Eighth. One last thing: make your discontent known. Send a letter to the management and consider sending one also to the Times or some other local paper. Even an anonymous one would do.

Fight the good fight, girl!

Love,
CJ

Lorna wrote:I have since pulled all of their links and information from every group and website that I am associated with.

I will no longer even recommend non CDing tourists there.

sorry to hear that Lorna,

Our discrimination laws over here are fairly strict .
TGs were recently granted permission to join the police force

If anyone discriminates on the grounds of race , sex , religion , self identity, sexual preferance or handicaped will find themselves exposed on the news of current affairs on television.

They may have a legal case to answer if the victim wishes to pursue it but public exposure hits them hard

we call it TRIAL BY MEDIA .

It's sad this happens but it is very easily done, clubs and bars can say they have dress codes and let people in only if they dress the way they want. You are from Long Island, Lorna, there were a few clubs I tried to go to dressed in LI but was turned away, they had a dress code.
I understand fully what you went through in life, I went to a school in the Bronx that was 10% white, and had black kids not wanting to be friendly. Even when some would be friendly, the others threatened them to stay away from me. I hung out mostly with the Puerto Rican kids.
There was a gay club in NY I don't remember it's name,but it was wear the old Luchau's(spell) restruant was. It was a white gay club that wouldn't allow black gays. The black gays picketed the club, which soon changed it's ways, but I think was too late it closed soon after. I have found more intolerance and crap in NY, than here in Baltimore which is closer to the south. NY is not alays as liberal as you might think, there's lots of garbage that goes on. People don't know what intolerance is like till it happens to them. It is very ugly and damaging.

Love Amelie

PS-sorry for the spelling I'm just getting in and I'm tired

Lorna,
It is the old saying, "We vote with our feet!" I am sure that you and your friends will find another "hang-out" especially in NYC! As we say here in the South, "Don't let the Turkeys get you down!"
Just let us know when you find another hang-out and get us the phone number and maybe we will have you paged!!
Love ya,
Virginia

You know what pains the most is that your soldiers die on far away battlegrounds defending your country's believes that all men are equal and deserve the same rights as everybody
LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL (IF I RECALL CORRECT)
Personally i think people who are like that are a shame on the blood of the people who died believing in your country and constitution en gave all for it
And i just want to say it dont mean nothing what biggots like that say
You are what you are and for as far as i can see you are a lovely person with a great personality
And its people like you who make it a great country
So lift your head up high and walk tall and never forget we arent all like those kind so i think there's still hope for us and our childeren

big big hug from me to you

Mellissa

Merinda Widget wrote:
Our discrimination laws over here are fairly strict .
If anyone discriminates on the grounds of race , sex , religion , self identity, sexual preferance or handicaped will find They may have a legal case to answer if the victim wishes to pursue .

I should add that clubs / bars can get around these laws by refusing you entry on the grounds of not being suitably dressed , they incorporate a strict dress code but only enforce it on people that they dont like the look of.

" sorry , your dressed too casuall "
This is a common term used to knock back patrons

After you have been refused entry on the grounds of not meeting their dress code you look back from down the street and observe other people entering the club with holes ripped in dirty jeans ( typical !! )

Dress codes are one thing. But in a restaurant/bar where they even ADVERTISE that casual dress is okay, it just escapes me. In the four years I have supported that place no one has ever had an issue about how someone was dressed.

It just so happened that last Saturday one of the bartenders was complaining about how the bar was losing money on Saturday nights, and what they felt the reason was.

But fear not. A THOROUGH investigation is underway. My NY galpals and I (with the assistance of a few contacts) will get to the bottom of this.

Hi Lorna!!! Yeah, Get after 'em!!!