A Melbourne gay bar has won the right to ban women, on the grounds that it will ensure its patrons are not subjected to attempts by predatory females to turn them straight. The Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) has granted Sircuit Bar an exemption to anti-discrimination laws, allowing it to ban women because they make the men uncomfortable, the Herald Sun reports. "The applicant primarily relies on the exemption to exclude women from the venue, other than on Sundays after 3pm," it ruled. "This is to ensure that gay men are not subject to attempts to change their sexuality, which reduce their comfort in the venue, which includes being fully accepted for who they are." Despite the ruling, a spokesman for the venue told the Herald Sun it had never had a problem with women trying to turn gay men straight. "We haven't had that problem here. But it does happen that women try and turn gay men straight," said the general manager, who wanted to be known only as Steve. "When I was at high school and came out, plenty of my girlfriends said come with me and I'll turn you straight. You'd have to ask VCAT why they made the ruling." Sircuit is a two-level club that has a bar on the bottom level and a second floor cruise club that includes a maze, movie lounges and private rooms.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Friday, 10th June 2011 - 2:15pm