Transgender club alleges discrimination at Peabody restaurant

[edjr 6,592]

Published: February 10, 2010 05:45 am

 

PEABODY — Members of a local transgender social club are claiming they were refused entrance into a Peabody restaurant because of their appearance.

 

Ashley Bottoms, 42, of Saugus is alleging that she and seven others from Sisters Family were not let into Capone's Italian American restaurant on Summit Street because their appearance did not correspond with the photographs on their identifications.

 

"We feel we're being discriminated against," Bottoms said yesterday.

 

Bottoms, whose legal name is Robert Knowles, will be before Peabody's Licensing Board on Feb. 22 to submit a complaint against Capone's.

 

The board will allow Bottoms to be heard, but Chairman Minas Dakos did not know what authority, if any, it had to deal with the allegation.

 

"I've never run across anything like this," he said.

 

The city's lawyer could not be reached for an opinion yesterday.

 

Bottoms founded Sisters Family in 2007 to help individuals new to the transgender community adjust. The group has five chapters in three states, she said.

 

Locally, the group meets every Friday at the restaurant and bar of the Peabody Marriott before heading out to a restaurant or night club on the North Shore or in Boston.

 

On Jan. 29, they went to Capone's, which offers live music and charges a $5 cover on Fridays and Saturdays. It was the group's fourth or fifth trip to the restaurant, Bottoms said.

 

The first visit passed without incident, she said. On the second visit, someone from the restaurant expressed concern about the club members' attire, including Bottoms' miniskirt, Bottoms said. When they returned for a subsequent visit, the group was asked to use the men's bathroom, a request members reluctantly agreed to, according to Bottoms.

 

"We thought that was the end of it," she said.

 

But on the night in question, eight members of Sisters Family, including one the state recognizes as a female, were not allowed into Capone's, Bottoms said. Two men working the door between 10:30 and 11 p.m. asked that they show photo identification that matched their appearance, she said.

 

When she called the restaurant the next day to complain, she was told that the group would be better off going out in Boston, Bottoms said.

 

An employee who answered the phone at Capone's yesterday said there was "no comment from management." Another employee reached later in the afternoon said that the owners were out of town and that the restaurant had no comment.

 

"I obey the law. I pay my taxes," Bottoms said. "This is who I am, and I don't want people in my community saying I'm not wanted."

 

Thank you Liberals for standing up for the rights of these freaks.

[kutulu 1,676]

Published: February 10, 2010 05:45 am

Transgender club alleges discrimination at Peabody restaurant.

 

Do you plan on ever going back?

[edjr 6,592]

Do you plan on ever going back?

 

Why do you think I bought my own bar

[VikesFan 1]

let's see... bars are supposed to card people. They get someone who looks nothing like the ID presented. They reject that someone. They get sued.... This should be thrown out... There's a reason they ID you. If you have reason to believe the ID is fake, you shouldn't be let in.

[gocolts 300]

Do you plan on ever going back?

[gocolts 300]

let's see... bars are supposed to card people. They get someone who looks nothing like the ID presented. They reject that someone. They get sued.... This should be thrown out... There's a reason they ID you. If you have reason to believe the ID is fake, you shouldn't be let in.

No doubt. This is silly. To think that bars should let someone into their bar looking nothing like their ID is borderline insane. Talk about opening up a can of worms if this gets any legs.

[Thornton Melon 620]

I hope they didn't go there to eat, 'cuz their food sucks

[SUXBNME 1,503]

Don't the bars still have the right to refuse service to anyone of their choosing?

[MedStudent 56]

Don't the bars still have the right to refuse service to anyone of their choosing?

not for any reason since the civil rights bill was passed. The law says nothing about sexual orientation but some judges have applied it that way. That's probably why the restaurant is saying that they violated the dress code. The restarant could probably get around it by setting a dress code that men can't wear skirts, bras or high heels. That would be dress code and allowable by law.

[SUXBNME 1,503]

not for any reason since the civil rights bill was passed. The law says nothing about sexual orientation but some judges have applied it that way. That's probably why the restaurant is saying that they violated the dress code. The restarant could probably get around it by setting a dress code that men can't wear skirts, bras or high heels. That would be dress code and allowable by law.

Yea...That makes sense.

<--- stoopid

[HellToupee 1,776]

On 2/10/2010 at 10:03 AM, kutulu said:

 

edjr said:

Published: February 10, 2010 05:45 am

Transgender club alleges discrimination at Peabody restaurant.

 

Do you plan on ever going back?

 

still makes me laugh 14 years later

[avoiding injuries 1,580]

Damn. 14 years ago and we all thought Ashley Bottoms was crazy. People became real dumb, real quick. 

[EternalShinyAndChrome 4,106]

I think it's about time we rid our society of the degenerates and perverts.  Let's give them their own island somewhere and drop them off.

[squistion 2,202]

For those who have been wondering for the last 14 years how this worked out.

A settlement for the discrimination claim with the restaurant was made after both parties agreed to mediation. 

According to a link I can't access (Glouchester Times) The city's Licensing Board chose to issue a warning to the restaurant over the incident.

Picture of members of transgender club at link:

https://www.advocate.com/news/daily-news/2010/03/04/restaurant-and-trans-group-settle-claim

 

[HellToupee 1,776]

7 minutes ago, squistion said:

For those who have been wondering for the last 14 years how this worked out.

A settlement for the discrimination claim with the restaurant was made after both parties agreed to mediation. 

According to a link I can't access (Glouchester Times) The city's Licensing Board chose to issue a warning to the restaurant over the incident.

Picture of members of transgender club at link:

https://www.advocate.com/news/daily-news/2010/03/04/restaurant-and-trans-group-settle-claim

 

I’m not clicking that link. Please post it here

[RaiderHaters Revenge 4,350]

11 minutes ago, squistion said:

For those who have been wondering for the last 14 years how this worked out.

A settlement for the discrimination claim with the restaurant was made after both parties agreed to mediation. 

According to a link I can't access (Glouchester Times) The city's Licensing Board chose to issue a warning to the restaurant over the incident.

Picture of members of transgender club at link:

https://www.advocate.com/news/daily-news/2010/03/04/restaurant-and-trans-group-settle-claim

 

squidward loves him some chicks with d1cks

 

[Hardcore troubadour 15,433]

1 hour ago, squistion said:

For those who have been wondering for the last 14 years how this worked out.

A settlement for the discrimination claim with the restaurant was made after both parties agreed to mediation. 

According to a link I can't access (Glouchester Times) The city's Licensing Board chose to issue a warning to the restaurant over the incident.

Picture of members of transgender club at link:

https://www.advocate.com/news/daily-news/2010/03/04/restaurant-and-trans-group-settle-claim

 

Did you get the Bisque?