Owner Of A Gay Bar Bans Bridal Showers

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 5/29/12 at 5:09pm

The Abbey, known as the best gay bar in LA and the world, has banned bachelorette parties until marriage is legal for everyone.

"I just felt after seeing so many bachelorette parties, having our wonderful straight girlfriends having a special time, a special night, having fun that it's almost a slap in the face to my clientele, David Cooley, founder and president of The Abbey, told CBS. Cooley, who is aso gay, pointed out that the parties were also a personal "slap in my face."

The Abbey Bans Bachelorette Parties Until Gay Marriage Is Legal (VIDEO)

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 5/29/12 at 5:30pm

Well now the government HAS to legalize it!

[SNAFU]

Posted: 5/29/12 at 5:47pm

I actually applaude this. It is the grass roots actions that will end up helping change peoples perceptions. Kudos and hopefully many more venues will follow suit.

[JerseyGirl2]

Posted: 5/29/12 at 5:47pm

What if it's a lesbian bachelorette party?

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 5/29/12 at 5:48pm

Then wouldn't they be at a sports bar?

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 5/29/12 at 5:55pm

Uhm, lesbians still can't get married... Which is the point of the ban.

[tazber]

Posted: 5/29/12 at 5:56pm

Is this gonna be like when Brangelina said they wouldn't get married until everyone could?

Because that lasted about a year.

[DAME]

Posted: 5/29/12 at 6:03pm

I stopped going to the Abbey a few years ago just because the number of straight people and F hags that were going was getting out of hand. I like my gay bars for gays.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 5/29/12 at 6:08pm

How will they enforce this? Otherwise, I think the sentiment is in the right place. (I know I have been out to many gay bars when hen parties have been there, but is that a huge part of the Abbey's business?)

[JerseyGirl2]

Posted: 5/29/12 at 6:11pm

Not being legal doesn't stop gals from having bachelorette parties. I had one in New York two years ago, but got married in Sweden. Of course, we did a spa day, but still...

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 5/29/12 at 6:14pm

I would assume, and hope that any same sex parties would still be honoured. Which still sounds discreminatary, but so is the law.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 5/29/12 at 6:14pm

Did you guys not read the article?

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 5/29/12 at 6:21pm

I think the article makes it pretty clear that they are only not booking straight bachelerotte parties.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 5/29/12 at 6:27pm

Right, and there's nothing to stop girls from going there with their bachelorette parties. The place isn't going to host them or allow them in in bachelerotte party regalia. And if they know anything at all about the bar they are attempting to enter then it shouldn't be a problem. If they don't know anything about the bar, then I'd wonder why they'd want to have their bachelorette party there in the first place. So if a lesbian couple wants to have a bachelorette party there, in a state where they can't legally get married, they'll probably be okay, so long as they don't come in wearing penis pops and the like.

Over the past 22 years, The Abbey has been a place that accepts everyone, gay, straight, lesbian, transgender, bisexual and everything in between. We love our straight girlfriends and they are welcome here, just not for bachelorette parties. It has long been a policy at The Abbey to deny admission to groups in costume, including Bachelorette regalia. Bachelorette parties had previously been allowed inside if they removed their costumes.

Updated On: 5/29/12 at 06:27 PM

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 5/29/12 at 6:28pm

"Did you guys not read the article?"

Obviously not...

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 5/29/12 at 6:32pm

Exactly Phyllis--and I think it's a smart move. I didn't know people could book parties in clubs, but I think it's a good statement.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 5/29/12 at 6:34pm

"I didn't know people could book parties in clubs,"

Do you have a social life?

[JerseyGirl2]

Posted: 5/29/12 at 6:35pm

Nah. I didn't read it. I was really just making a joke. (One that wasn't particularly funny, but what else is new?)

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 5/29/12 at 6:40pm

I posted this on my Facebook the other day and a few people seemed a little put out by it. I really don't think this ban is about sticking it to the straight allies of gay people, nor is it about them trying to ban women (as commentors on several articles about this I've read have tried to make it about).

Someone in the comments of this Jezebel article says Dave Cooley of The Abbey was talking about this on the radio that they don't want to host any kind of marriage parties (so I would assume that means lesbian parties, too, or I guess straight men if they decided to have their bachelor parties at a gay bar...) while marriage equality isn't available in California.
Jezebel

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 5/29/12 at 6:40pm

"Do you have a social life?"

Not much of one, apparently. I have been to clubs where they have been shut down for an event--but no, otherwise, I have never heard of places being booked for a party while regular customers come in.

[JerseyGirl2]

Posted: 5/29/12 at 6:46pm

I always hated the straight girl bridal parties in gay bars. Why celebrate in a bar you wouldn't normally hang out in?

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 5/29/12 at 6:48pm

Right? I think that's mostly the sentiment behind it.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 5/29/12 at 6:49pm

Because everyone knows its white trash girls who want to come across as 'hip' or 'edgy .

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 5/29/12 at 6:59pm

Or where they have no chance of being skeeved on by straight guys. I think that's a big part of the appeal.

[SNAFU]

Posted: 5/29/12 at 7:00pm

Hey, it has kept Naked boys Singing afloat!