TN: Nightclub refuses entry to LGBTQ+ members for musical event

The nightclub, Off The Record By The Thief, management informed that only heterosexual couples and females are allowed.

A popular nightclub in Chennai’s Nungambakkam area is reportedly not allowing entry tickets to queer and people from the LGBTQIA+ community.

The incident came to light when a queer person named Deepan Qweeter Kannan came to know the nightclub was hosting Tamil Nights on Thursday evening and filled with veterans Ilaiyaraaja and A R Rahman’s songs. Kannan immediately made reservations through the easydiner app.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CmsftTFqg2i/?hl=en

Kannan made the reservation with a few queer friends. Kannan also called up the nightclub to ensure that the booking was enough.

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However, to Kannan’s shock, the nightclub management informed that only heterosexual couples and females are allowed. When Kannan asked them if queer or same-gender couples would be allowed, they said only a man and a woman will be considered as a couple.

“Queer couples will be denied entry. I am not sure if they will allow a trans-cis couple. They are refusing to engage with me to answer any further queries. I had sent them the message in the screenshot. Tried calling their social media handle,” Kannan tweeted.

“I have not received any response even after a day. I just wanted to flag it here for other queer people about this place in the city. And also that these queerphobic/transphobic spaces continue to exist despite all the progress we have had in the last few years,” Kannan tweeted.

Calling the nightclub queerphobic, Kannan said that this is not the first time they are experiencing homophobic responses in such spaces in Chennai.

When Siasat.com contacted the management they stated that entry to LQBTQ members was “against the policy of the nightclub”.

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