Dia De Los Ninos

Sunday was a beautiful day and I went to the Carolina Center to check out the Dia De Los Ninos celebration put on by Entrevision.

As you can see from the pics, it was a great turnout for the event. There was a lot to do and see. There where quite a few vendors selling their wares and food.

They also had quite a few booths set up for social service, health care, and non-government agencies. Great information and great freebies!

Beautiful weather, great turnout. Fun times.

My only gripe is that I paid five bucks for an order of gorditas that were quite possibly the worst I’ve ever tasted. I think the lettuce was bad, yet another reason I don’t normally eat lettuce!

Discrimination at Graham’s Central Station

Graham’s is one of my favorite spots to hang out. Several clubs under one roof (one that plays some great 90’s music occasionally was well), karaoke (no, I do NOT sing, but it sure is great to watch the train wrecks!) and a drink special that can’t be beat.

But Saturday night may have been my last night there. I went to go relax and have a good time. I left early, before midnight and was on my way out to the parking lot when a transvestite asked if she could borrow my phone. She need to call for a ride because she and her partner were kicked out of the club.

She was kicked out of Grahams because of who she is. She wasn’t allowed to use the women’s restroom and there may have been some safety issues if she used the men’s room.

Look, it’s not my lifestyle but prejudice and discrimination are wrong no matter what the situation is. She has a right to be who she is, even if what she is may be against the social norms.

Graham’s is pretty dead on Saturday nights, so there aren’t a lot of people around. I’ve been noticing more homosexuals at Grahams on Saturday nights and they don’t bother anyone. Saturday is an older crowd and mostly couples, so it is usually more tolerant. People have a sitter and just want to go out and have a good time.

I saw the even as it happened. I was standing at the bar near the restrooms. I saw security, who does a great job keeping the peace there, escorting a young lady out of the ladies room, out the door, and into the parking lot. This is the usual tactic when there is a fight or something, overwhelmingly force of security and quickly whisk the offenders out of the building.

So I noticed the scene because it was dead and I was suprised to see so many around a small lady. I immediately wondered what she had done and came to the conclusion that she must’ve been using drugs or something. It’s the only plausible reason I could come up with for so much security to take a woman out of a restroom.

As it turns out, it was the transvestite.

I understand the fact that Grahams has a right to refuse service to anyone. I understand that if they feel like they don’t want a particular type of person in their establishment, that is their right.

But discrimination is just wrong. Where was she supposed to use the restroom? She PAID to get in, so Graham’s had no problem accepting her money, but they have a problem accepting who she is. Sending her, dressed as a woman, into the men’s room would’ve been a potential safety issue. God only knows what would’ve happened if a person who looked very much like a woman, was sent into a crowded men’s room full of drunk vato’s. Especially if they thought it was a woman and found out it was a man.

So I’m going to see what management does about this situation and that will determine whether I go back to that place or not. This kind of stuff cannot be tolerated by those of us who consider ourselves tolerant people.

So there you have it, Graham’s Central Station, where America plays at night. As long as it’s okay with them.