VIRAL: Trans comedian, friends barred from entering Poblacion bar - Coconuts

VIRAL: Trans comedian, friends barred from entering Poblacion bar - Coconuts
By: crime Posted On: August 28, 2018 View: 982

VIRAL: Trans comedian, friends barred from entering Poblacion bar - Coconuts

Popular trans comedian Jervi Li, better known as “KaladKaren Davila,” got a taste of just how far the Manila nightlife has to go when it comes to discrimination after she and a handful of friends were barred from a Poblacion bar for — being transgender.

In a video posted to Facebook on Sunday, Li can be seen speaking to a bouncer from H&J Sports Bar and Restaurant.

The bouncer says to her in Filipino: “This was just ordered to me [by the management], ma’am. Don’t be offended.”

A woman, presumably Li, tells him in a mix of English and Filipino: “We are offended because that’s discriminating [against] people like us. Now explain to us who are not allowed to enter?”

The bouncer answers: “Gay [men].”

Li quips: “Like gays, transgenders, ladyboy[s], like that?”

Another person, probably one of Li’s friends, says off camera: “[But] there are so many gays inside!”

The bouncer says: “There are no gays inside.”

The video, which has nearly 400,000 views and has been shared more than 4,500 times, comes with the caption: “It’s 2018! Let’s wake up! #LGBT members and allies, sisters, this is one of the many reasons why we need protection. Is this right?”

Li also added the hashtags #MayPinalayas (literally “someone was thrown out”), #MayPinaglalaban (“someone is fighting for something”) #Respect and #SOGIE.

The last hashtag refers to the bill filed by transgender lawmaker Geraldine Roman called the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity or Expression Equality Bill (SOGIE). The bill aims to prohibit acts of discrimination against people on the basis of their sexual orientation and gender identity. It includes a provision which gives people equal access to public places regardless of their gender identity.

However, in an interview with television show Umagang Kay Ganda, the bar’s general manager Garry Ecther explained that trans people were temporarily banned from the bar  — as a group — because of previous incidents in which transgendered women were suspected of committing theft.

“There was an issue prior to that with some transgender[s] that stole some [customers’] bill jackets,” Ecther said. “So the instruction to the guard was don’t let that group in anymore because they always come in big groups.”

He insisted that the policy in question was not a long-standing one and that the bar had no broader issues with the gay community.

“We don’t have any problems with transgenders whatsoever,” he said.

The same segment includes an interview with Li, who said she has visited the bar with no issues before the incident took place.

She said in a mix of English and Filipino: “I’m just very disappointed and dismayed with what happened. I felt like our dignity was trampled on. We weren’t allowed to enter because of our gender identity, which is I think a form of discrimination.”

On Li’s Facebook post, Butch Montejo — the officer-in-charge the night of the incident, according to bar staff — explained the bar’s “no gay or transgender rule.”

“Hi guys, I was interviewed by sister KaladKaren [Li]. I explained to sister the reason why the management temporarily banned ladyboys. Before that incident [involving KaladKaren], we had a customer inside the establishment whose belongings were stolen by a ladyboy. That always happens in Makati.”

Montejo reminded netizens of an incident where a ladyboy allegedly mugged a Korean customer in Makati, but remains at large. He said that in a separate incident, a group of trans prostitutes entered their bar to offer their services to their foreign customers.

“That’s why our customers have requested us to not let these ladyboys come near them,” he added, putting the onus on the bar’s clientele.

Montejo said when he spoke to Li, he actually asked for the LGBT community’s help in finding a solution to the problem. He wrote: “I asked for help from the gay or transgender community. I hope they can help us remove those transgenders who are up to no good. What solution can the community offer to eliminate these criminals from Makati?”

Welp. We’re not sure, Montejo, but eliminating an entire group of people just because someone who identifies as transgender turns out to be a thief probably isn’t the best solution. Just sayin’.

Netizens were polarized about the issue. Some were supportive of Li. Grace Nicolas wrote: “Some people are missing the point of this video. The one who took the video for sure understood that the bouncer was just doing his job, they wanted to get the answer as to why they are (sic) not being allowed [to] entry (sic) so the public will be made aware.”

Nicolas, who apparently has visited the bar, wrote: “The discrimination is what was wrong in this scenario, I saw too much trans in this establishment with foreign men that I am surprised they suddenly have this rule. If there was an incident behind this, that is still not acceptable, you cannot ban a whole ‘gender’ base due to issues (if there was ever any).”

A certain Alvin Bautista, who introduced himself as gay, was critical of Li and her friends.

He wrote: “I’m gay but sometimes I don’t understand some of my fellow gays. The truth is you ask for so many things. That’s why people lose respect for us because of all your drama. If it’s their rule that gays [and transgenders] are not allowed [to enter], then don’t force them to accept you. Don’t blame the guard/bouncer because he’s just following his boss’ orders. You should have complained to the manager or the bar’s owner. What you did was harassment by taking that video. There are other bars which we [gays] are allowed to enter. You are not fighting for what is right.”

Given that the “so many things” they were asking for was simply equal treatment, we’re going to have to agree to disagree here, Alvin.

Congressperson Roman also weighed in said she will ask Congress to investigate the incident. She wrote: I will file a resolution in Congress to investigate, in aid of legislation, this very unfortunate incident. Situations like these are simply unacceptable.”

Do you think the bar has the right to ban transgenders? Let us know your thoughts by tweeting to @CoconutsManila.

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