Gay bars in Seattle were raided by local authorities over the weekend, with venue owners claiming citations were made “solely on individuals’ clothing choices”.
Several venues, including four LGBTQ+ bars, were reportedly the targets of the Joint Enforcement Team (JET); a coalition of local authorities, including the Seattle Police and the State Liquor and Cannabis Board, The Stranger reported.
The owners of two gay bars, The Cuff Complex and The Seattle Eagle, have spoken out after their venues were said to have received citations because the bartender’s nipples were exposed, and some people were wearing jockstraps. In the state of Washington, nudity is prohibited in venues where alcohol is served.
The news outlet claimed JET inspected 15 venues over the weekend, including four LGBTQ+ clubs, with “lewd conduct violations” registered. Other places included a college bar, a music venue and a bowling alley.
According to The Cuff Complex’s owner, Joey Burgess, and Keith Christensen, who owns The Seattle Eagle, neither venue had been cited for alcohol or violence-related offences before, and they believe customers’ clothing was the sole issue.
“The absence of violence or liquor-related issues in the citations indicates a concerning focus on targeting queer individuals in queer spaces,” a joint statement read.
After The Cuff Complex was raided on Saturday (27 January), Burgess said: “You’re allowed to be who you are in Seattle as long as you don’t go into a gay bar… they’re not going into the other bars the same way as this.
“I hate to feel [it’s discrimination], but, to me, there is no other answer.”
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