On the one hand, service dog refusals still happen everywhere – even though guide dogs have been a thing in the U.S. for about 90 years. So, that a blind person, looking to spend an evening at the bar with some friends, was turned away because the bouncers didn’t want to let them in with their guide dog shouldn’t really surprise any of us. Call it a statistical probability.
On the other hand – at Stonewall? At bloody Stonewall? (Yes, I’m shouting.)
At a place that saw such a powerful uprising against prejudice and discrimination?
Give me a break!
On the one hand, we know that marginalized groups discriminate against folks from other marginalized groups all the time. Being atarget for prejudice doesn’t automatically make someone a fighter against prejudice. It doesn’t even make someone aware of the prejudices they carry. So, someone representing a pillar of the LGBTQ+ community showing blatant disregard for the laws and rights protecting another person shouldn’t come as any sort of surprise. (Blatant disregard is fancy-talk for didn’t-give-a-crap.)
On the other hand, discrimination at an iconic LGBTQ+ bar? Discrimination by people who, as a friend put it, didn’t want to stop to listen or do their job.. Discrimination witnessed by a whole host of people waiting to get in, and none of them knew to (or felt moved to) speak up in support of one of their own.
It’s enfuriating, and unnecessary!
The community can and should do better around this. When will the anger at an incidence of discrimination against a disabled person filter down to nondisabled (and visibly nondisabled) folks?