Moriarty’s Irish Pub, a bar on Walnut St. in the Gayborhood, posted an ad last week looking for a “biologically male” bartender. The pub is located in the building that once housed Rusty’s — Philadelphia’s first lesbian bar, which was raided by Philadelphia police a year before Stonewall.
Rusty’s closed in the early 1970s. The building was bought by John Ferry in 1974, and the bar appears to be run by his son, Robert, today. It is no longer a specifically queer-centered establishment.
The advertisement has been removed from Craigslist, where it was posted on Jan. 24. It’s unclear why the bar desired applicants to be “biologically male,” as its representatives have not yet commented publicly about the issue.
When PGN called to speak with an owner or manager about the advertisement, someone working at the bar simply said, “No, sorry. Please don’t call back.”
The ad noted that the job, a part-time position, also required applicants to “communicate and understand our guests’ predominant language(s),” but specific language requirements were not shared. Previous bartending experience was only noted as a “plus.”
The posting has been officially reported to the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations for violating the Fair Practices Ordinance, which protects people from discrimination on the basis of sexuality and gender identity. An investigation will occur, and the bar could be fined between $300 and $2000 and could be required to undergo anti-discrimination training.
“This is extremely problematic and absolutely transphobic,” Celena Morrison, executive director of the city’s Office of LGBT Affairs, told the Philadelphia Inquirer. “There are laws that say it’s illegal for employers to make decisions based on a person’s race, religion, gender, or sexual identity. This is the kind of thing that fuels a culture of people facing unfair treatment.”
People responded to the Inquirer’s article on Instagram. Many of the comments demonstrate that queerphobia is still a major problem in the city — as some readers praised the bar for the advertisement. Some noted that they’ll spend more time at the establishment now that they know the owner’s values.
“Alphabet people crying again. Work somewhere else!” commented miquelddez. “Work on a place that emphasizes your false identity and fantasy’s [sic]. Let business owners be the business owners again.”
“The city can’t tell a private business/establishment who they have to hire,” said blundettyyyusa — incorrectly asserting that the advertisement could even save LGBTQ+ people and women the time and effort of applying. “Just like people are allowed to have an opinion on human rights a business owner can have an opinion on what is best for their own business. Just don’t go there if it doesn’t rub you the right way. Plenty of other bars!”
Some didn’t view the ad as a problem: “WHO CARES. Sensitivity will be the downfall of our society. Ridiculous,” said mateo215. “I’m going there to get drunk af!!!” added fthr2var.
Queer people and allies expressed outrage. Those who previously spent time at the bar — including during OURfest — have stated they won’t return. Some educated others by sharing the history of the building, explaining how Moriarty’s is violating the law, and offering information about the bar’s location amongst queer establishments.
“Lots of people are focusing on the transgender component, however, the ad was also excluding women (biological or otherwise), which is illegal under Title VII,” explained cosmonautchris. While this social media user is correct, Title VII protections actually apply to trans people too — a ruling made by the Supreme Court in 2020.
“This bar is closer to the Bike Stop than the Forrest Theater,” explained didbrendandoyourhair. “It’s not close to the center of the gayborhood it is literally in the center of it and has the audacity to post transphobic job listings?”
One reader, crissfurr, offered a straightforward response: “G R O S S. Leave the Gayborhood then, simple.”