While Zaharakis’ solution to his frustrations is to simply ban the bachelorettes, Ed Yohnka, of the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois and gay marriage supporter, says it's just another type of discrimination.
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I want women to think twice about this issue.'' “I just think they're ignorant to our situation. "It is throwing it in our face that they can get married and we can't,'' said Dion Contreras, 29, a Chicago litigation manager who frequently finds himself having a cocktail at Cocktail. When California upheld Proposition 8 this year, banning gay marriages, Zaharakis' sign became fuel for an already heated debate. “I would rather not have the money than host an event I didn't believe in.''Ĭocktail hasn't served bachelorettes since 2004, when he found customers complaining about bachelorettes "flaunting" their right to marry.
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"I'm totally losing money because of it, but I don't want the money,'' Cocktail owner Geno Zaharakis said. The sign at the door, “No Bachelorette Parties,” couldn't be much clearer. The party's over at the Chicago bar Cocktail, where the feather-boa-beaded-necklace-wearing-phallic-paraphernalia-carrying ladies are no longer welcome.
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The strip of bars that runs through Boystown is a popular choice for brides-to-be and their leading ladies, guaranteeing straight females a grope-free night sans the ogling and pick-up-lines common in straight bars. All the single ladies who’re going to get a ring on it, a word of caution when planning the bachelorette party: stay out of the gay bars.