A reader is bound to get some heat for this email:
Good luck finding a lesbian bar in Boston too. There are a few lesbian theme nights around the city, but they seem to travel around and disappear, or at least drop off my radar. As a long-time bartender in the city, I can say two things about lesbians:
1) They don’t tip (at least not to male bartenders)
2) Lesbians cause fights. Lots of them.
In gay bars (male), the bartenders don’t want lesbian patrons for reason number one and the owners don’t want them for reason number two.
In a city like Boston, in the event of a fight, a bar is supposed to call the police when somebody is assaulted. That call results in a hearing at city hall where the most likely result is a fine or suspension of license. The fine is usually based on your daily sales – three-day suspension or a fine equal to three-days sales, that kind of thing. Plus you need to factor in the attorney fees for the guy you need to hire to represent you. It’s just not worth it.
Gay men typically don’t get into fist fights. But I’ve seen some nasty lesbian fights at Randolph Country Club in Randolph, MA. From my experience, the ladies have nobody to blame but themselves for the lack of bars.
Another reader points to an interview with Jean, a former employee at Phase 1, “Washington, DC’s (and some might argue the country’s) oldest lesbian bar.” She has some insight into the tipping stereotype:
What has Phase meant to you over the years?
Home. It’s always been home. I’m always in awe of the fact that it’s still open. There’s only one lesbian bar that’s been open longer and it’s in Chicago – I think it may have actually closed by now. Lesbians are not real supportive so I’ve always been pleased that Allen and his partner Chris (who recently passed) kept it open no matter what.Is there such a thing as a profitable lesbian bar?
I doubt it. Interestingly, when Tracks first opened in the early 80’s that was supposed to be a lesbian bar. And actually Zeigfeld’s was supposed to be and they just evolved into other things because you just can’t count on women to bring in the money. So the Phase has ebbed and flowed over the years and there was a point in the mid-80’s where we would have 300-350 women come through here in a night. It was intense, it was awesome and it was packed. But once lesbian nights started, people had choice and that made a difference.Now Angela brought in energy that hadn’t been here in a long long time. But it gets frustrating even with all the people she’s bringing in here. Women are notoriously bad tippers. This generation is better but with older women you’re talking about a generation who had to make it on their own and had lower paying jobs than men, especially in the working class and whatnot. You never do get a lot of the lawyers coming in here…
Update from a reader:
It’s funny what working in the hospitality industry can do to even the most politically correct liberals. Once your income is dependent on tipping, it’s impossible not to start stereotyping certain groups even if it’s unfair to the outliers. And I’ll back up the male bartender from Boston; in over 10 years in the business, lesbians were by far my least lucrative demographic (beating out Europeans, Southerners, and old people).
Another:
Hmm. I’m genuinely trying to open another lesbian bar in the District – I have a lawyer, an application for a liquor license, the works – so this discussion is fascinating. Stereotypes aside. Thanks for having it. I’ll let you know how it goes.
The Dish 