The Peel Hotel in Collingwood, Victoria was given an exemption under the state’s Equal Opportunity Act 1995, allowing it the right to legally refuse entry to lesbians and heterosexual men and women.
The hotel was granted the right to legally refuse entry to individuals who were not gay men after the decision of the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT). Following widespread media coverage, the slogans ‘Queers hate all discrimination’ and ‘Aren’t we gay enough?’ had been written on the outside walls of the Peel earlier this week.
Peel owner-manager Tom McFeely (pictured) applied for the exemption to ‘protect the integrity of the venue’ as a space for gay males. He said he had received complaints from gay male patrons that they felt unsafe and uncomfortable with behaviour from heterosexuals and lesbians.
‘My main concern is with the wellbeing of gay guys and how comfortable and safe they feel… I don’t provide the Peel as a place for lesbians; that’s not my motivation,’ he said.
In his submission to VCAT McFeely said the atmosphere changed when groups of straight men and women (bucks and hen’s parties, for example) and lesbians entered the venue and gay men often felt ‘unsafe.’
‘To be honest, most of the Peel’s physical altercations since I’ve been there in the past 13 years have involved lesbians. I am sorry to say that they are the most aggressive customers we have,’ he said.
McFeely also said the venue still welcomed people of all persuasions to visit the Peel, despite the ruling.
The ruling has drawn plenty of comment as well as support and criticism from within the community.
The Laird hotel is the only other gay male venue in Melbourne with a similar exemption. Current manager David Allen said the two rulings for the hotels were very different.
‘Our exemption was based on the fact that it was originally designed as a male-only hotel. The tribunal agreed with that and gave us the exemption so that we could continue to trade in the manner, which is totally different situation to what Tom (McFeely) has gone for.’
Brett Lasham, who takes over as co-manager of the Laird at the end of June, said he thought the ruling for the Peel was fair.
‘As long as it’s (the ruling) used for what it’s meant for, it should make the venue a better place to be for its core clientele.’
John Wain, manager of Commercial Road’s Market Hotel, said his venue had a door policy of refusing entry to large groups of straight women, but that did not apply to lesbians.
‘We do market ourselves as a mixed venue more than a gay male only… The Peel has always had that bent toward the gay male thing,’ he said.
He said he had not experienced the same issues with lesbian violence as the Peel, but said he ‘understood’ McFeely’s decision to request the exemption.
‘The Peel probably attracts lesbians who like a drink and they can become aggressive, but we don’t see that at the Market. It may be a northside/southside,’ he said.
Victorian Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby spokesperson Aly M said the Lobby supported the Peel’s decision and the ruling.
‘We support the exemption for the reasons in the decision that gay men don’t feel that they are safe and comfortable in a venue that is primarily designed to cater to their needs. We understand why they might need to seek the protection of the law,’ she said.
She said it was inevitable that the ruling would be seen as discriminatory, but the venue’s purpose to provide a safe space for gay men overrode such discrimination overrode such discrimination. She said she hoped the ruling would not generate division in the community.
‘Hopefully this isn’t an attempt to ban people from it or create ill will toward sections of the community, but rather it is seen to be helping what the hotel set out to be, a gay male establishment.’
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This article appears courtesy of Melbourne’s fortnightly gay and lesbian paper, bnews. Check it out at www.bnews.net.au.
