Gay club discriminated against blacks

Justin M. Norton:

In a case closely watched by San Francisco's gay community, a city commission found that the owner of a popular gay nightclub discriminated against black patrons and violated local civil rights codes.

After a 10-month investigation, the San Francisco Human Rights Commission found the club Badlands required multiple forms of identification from some black customers, used discriminatory hiring practices, applied a dress code only to black patrons and denied entry using other policies rarely applied to whites.

The commission also said Tuesday that club owner Les Natali referred to blacks as "non-Badlands customers'' who should be discouraged from patronizing the club, located in the city's predominantly gay Castro neighborhood.

News and Blogosphere:

Panel finds bias at Castro bar Owner denied entry to black patrons, commission reports

Gay Club Accused Of Discrimination

Is Badlands Bad?

Dicscimination in Discriminating Taste From the Discriminated Against