A new gay nightclub in Sydney has apologised after facing backlash over its proposed name, 'Pink Pony', which references a song by US lesbian popstar Chappell Roan. The venue, set to open on Oxford Street in the city's LGBTQ+ heartland, also faced criticism for stating its preferred clientele would be young gay men.
In a statement on Instagram, owner Kevin Du-Val and manager Michael Lewis described the name choice as an 'error of judgment', acknowledging the 'well deserved reverence' queer women have for Roan. They apologised for any hurt caused, saying their communication was 'clumsy and very poorly worded'.
The club had earlier announced it was 'unashamedly inspired' by the song, but faced swift backlash when it emerged its 'preferred clientele' was young gay men aged 18-35. Lewis told Gay Sydney News that while women would be welcome, the aim was for a 90% male crowd.
The operators have since deleted the club's Instagram account and replaced it with a 'new name coming' page. They said the decision to rename was made after considering the 'very passionate feedback' from the community.
Legal experts note that excluding patrons based on gender or sexual orientation may breach the Sex Discrimination Act, unless an exemption is granted. The Australian Human Rights Commission has previously cited examples such as Melbourne's Peel hotel, which was exempted to help gay men achieve equality.
