A nightclub in Adelaide has been slammed as “racist”, “offensive” and “transphobic” after a recent rebranding and rename.
Formally known as Tijuana Showgirls, the reimagined bar now goes by the name Go Go Lady Boy, and since unveiling its new name, the establishment has met a sea of outrage from the public, many dumbfounded at how a live music and popular club could be so culturally insensitive, as The Music (via RipItUp) reports.
Located at 9 Hindley Street, the Adelaide venue has been closed for renovations for the last six weeks, reopening to the public on Thursday night. Angered members of the community have spoken-out on social media against the bar, many posting on their Facebook that using such a name is incredibly offensive to the transgender community as well as accusing the operators of cultural appropriation.
One commenter sums up the negative consensus, “Trans people experience such high rates of violence and generally have such a hard time. This promo adds to the idea that they aren’t real people, that a trans woman is a ‘lady boy’ or a freak. My trans friends are human like everyone else. I liked coming before but won’t again and will encourage my friends to give you a miss.”
On the other hand, others are excited by the nightclub, arguing that naming an Aussie nightclub something like Go Go Lady Boy is no different to a “Mr Kims” or “Poof Doof”. One of the managers, Alexander Kleut, spoke with Adelaide Now about the issue, stating that it was “not their intention” to cause such an uproar.
“We recently went to Thailand and got among the party culture, we literally based it off a party town there and we wanted to bring a little taste of that here, we just wanted to rebrand ourselves and get a bit more theatrical and get a bit more Fringe (Festival) like, that was our main focus” he explained.
Despite such a vast amount of criticism hurled at the bar, Kleut & Co. appear to have no intention of altering the bar’s image or name, “It’s the way it is and we are apologising for that but once people come in and have a drink and get among it, they will see there is nothing there that is directed to anyone to offend them.”
As backlash ensues, Go Go Lady Boy will be open this weekend, the nightclub posting the following to their Facebook:
