No penis no entry

The Press reports:

Christchurch Pride Week organisers say barring transgender people from a sex venue is about protecting them, not phobia.

Christchurch’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, intersex and asexual (LGBTQIA+) community are preparing for 10 days of pride events. 

Christchurch Pride Week, which launches on March 15, will include an art show, a drinks night, yoga and karaoke, and the No Place Like Homo closing party. Last year, more than 1000 people attended the various festivities, including at Shirley Boys’ High School, which ran its own Pride Week after a student came out to his peers during a school assembly.

Volunteers met on Friday after patrons expressed outrage at the cisgender (people whose gender identity corresponds with their birth sex) only rule at the Menfriends Jocks Party – a “sex on site” venue hosting a 14-hour “marathon” party on March 22, Christchurch Pride chairperson Jill Stevens said.

A 14 hour sex party. You have to be impressed by the stamina.

The R18 event specified it was only for men whose gender corresponded with their birth sex – a slap in face from an event that prides itself on inclusiveness and celebrating a diverse range of gender and sexual identities, Kayla Collins, who is a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, said. 

Oh no, someone is excluded.

Menfriends declined to comment, but its website said: “If you have a penis, you qualify for access to Menfriends.”

Seems a fair enough rule.

Others said the exclusion was “quality bulls…” and reinforced that it was “OK to exclude some parts of our community”.

“Will they be checking for penises at the entrance?”

Ummm, I think that is exactly what they will be doing!! Okay maybe not at the entrance, but sure sounds like it won’t be a party where you won’t keep clothes on all night!