"There is a time when strength in numbers is more significant than a person's opinion. I will stand by my friends no matter what befalls."
I just wanna dance, drink, and be merry. When you and your friends go out on the town on a typical Friday night, everyone intends to have a good time. The night of activities is here as you walk from bar to bar, downing drink to drink, and having fun with friends both old and new.
What we don't realize is, what if we are denied the fun? What happens when you are denied access to a bar for reasons unknown?
In my experience, no one wants to cause trouble, create a mess, or get kicked out of a venue. Everyone simply just wants to have a good time. But for bouncers and bartenders, that is simply not always the case. You will hear them say, "Sorry, we cannot serve you at this bar," or "You appear to be too intoxicated to be here at this bar." This is oppressive.
Well, what does this mean? You are not told to go home from being too drunk. You are not given a detailed explanation in how they deduced their reasoning. You are, however, told that you will be accepted somewhere else. And may I add that this is not because such a venue is of higher class than another.
This means that you are judged for your appearance. Your looks. The "company" you keep. In other words, several bars are sexist and racist. This is oppressive.
I, for example, have been able to get into bars for
1) being a woman,
2) dressing a certain way, and
3) being with a crew of women that would create more revenue for the venue.
I have also been unable to get into bars or obtain drinks for
1) not knowing what I wanted within 5 seconds,
2) being more bubbly and excited than the venue would like, thinking I was "too intoxicated",
3) walking into a bar with friends who happen to be homosexual and create more revenue for a venue, and
4) walking into a bar with friends who happen to be of a different race/culture and would still create more revenue for said venue.
The funny thing was, about 75% of the time my friends and I were denied service, our night on the town had barely started. This means we could not have been "too intoxicated". Also, what deductive reasoning do bouncers use to determined one's level of intoxication? They use their judgement. Their discrimination of people unlike themselves. This is oppressive.
I am hurt that people are so judgmental that they have to deprive others of having a good time amongst friends. It hurts me to see us get turned down because of the "company" we keep. Sorry to burst your bubble, but that so-called "company" happen to be my friends. And I am ashamed to see what seems to be a "successful establishment" degrade itself to such low standards. It disappoints me more that society does not care and lets venues get away with this oppression because they themselves are not being told to go elsewhere to have fun.
Sure I can have a good time anywhere I go. But it is the principle of the action. It is not a privilege to have a night out on the town in venues of your choosing. It is an oppression to be refused service by first glance.
I understand that there are circumstances that can harm the venue and the people inside. We all want to avoid harm. I feel for those in Orlando, I really do. But this also hurts. This is oppressive.
