Peoria gays react to unwelcome sign

Peoria gays react to unwelcome sign
By Erika Slife
Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune
April 17, 2009
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-peoria-gay-bar-17apr17,0,7371226.story


This sign in the window of The Elbo Room bar was a wake-up call to the gay community, previously a low-key population in Peoria, to mobilize. (Photo by Nick Stroman / April 16, 2009)

In bright yellow capital letters, the sign on the karaoke bar in downtown Peoria was clear: "WE ARE NOT A GAY BAR!!"

The local gay community got the message. And it apparently was just the rallying cry it needed.

In a flurry of forwarded Facebook, MySpace and text messages, a coalition quickly mobilized and dozens of gay rights supporters lined up last weekend outside The Elbo Room to express their outrage. The sign, they said, might as well have read, "Gays are not welcome here."

"The sign was basically a sign of intolerance, and we're not going to stand for it anymore," said Stephanie Worlow, 27, one of the organizers of the protest that drew nearly 40 people. "It's time that we as a community stand up for ourselves. We're not going to stand for intolerance anymore."

The group held three protests last weekend, one of which drew the attention of paintballers, who fired on the crowd. Police had no suspects in that attack.

On the heels of Iowa and Vermont legalizing gay marriage this month the gay community in Peoria—a substantial but previously low-key population—said it had already started to find its voice. Three months ago, a Web site, outandaboutillinois.com, was launched to connect the gay community. And protesters last week formed a group called One World, One Equality and planned to go to Springfield this month along with other gay-rights supporters to lobby for civil unions.

"This is the first time we've mobilized for a situation like that," said Dawn Scally, 35, of Peoria Heights. "Let's finally do something and get together and stop taking everything as it comes. Let's take a stand and try to have a voice for the community."

For decades, the bar on Main Street had been called the Quench Room and was known as a gay bar, longtime residents said. In the 1990s, ownership changed hands and it became a karaoke bar, said Peoria Councilwoman Barbara Van Auken, whose district includes the bar. Although gay patrons continued to frequent the spot, tensions between them and the bar owner have boiled over recently concerning public displays of affection, according to the gay customers.

"I had my hand on my girlfriend's knee and I was told, 'We don't do that in this bar,' " Scally said.

The bar owner, Greg Quast, could not be reached for comment. But he issued a statement apologizing for the sign, saying he's taken action to ensure it does not happen again. Van Auken warned that it better not; the city has already notified him the sign violated state law.

"You can't give notice to the effect that certain protected groups are not welcome," she said.

Nick Stroman, 33, said he was shocked by the movement that he unwittingly helped ignite. Stroman was the one who snapped a photo of the sign and sent it out to his friends by text and Internet. The next day, his phone was flooded with responses.

As a result, Stroman and other protesters have vowed to never go back to the bar.

"I didn't do this to start up a coalition. I didn't organize the group, organize the rally," Stroman said. "I'm far from the militant person with my fist in the air at a rally. It just surprises me that in this day in age, that this stuff is still happening."