My name is Peter Deep and I am the majority owner of The Zone. I've been following many of the posts on this site. As many of you know, The Zone had a fire in 1998 and recently reopened in Sept. 2000. When we were rebuilding, many of the posts on this board and LOTS of email through our web site said the same thing: don't allow Asians in. (I couldn't help but wonder what any Asians reading the posts were thinking.) Now that we're open, I see people complaining about the presence of Asians at The Zone even now. I have to ask: What makes their presence so offensive to some people?
As a person who is a member of a discriminated minority (I'm gay), I must say I have had a really hard time understanding this. I'm not putting anyone down. The reason I am posting this is to begin a discussion that may further my understanding of this obviously important issue.
Several years ago, I met over lunch with two owners of one of the sex clubs in town. The subject for discussion was whether or not we wanted to honor each club's membership at the other. (This was my suggestion.) The response I was received that yes, that would be fine, as soon as I banned all Asians from the club because their club did not allow Asians. I couldn't do that with a clear conscience, so that was the end of that. When one of the men at the meeting was later voted as "Man of the Year" by the Gay & Lesbian Center, I began to question just how deep this feeling went within the gay community. Obviously this person's views were widely accepted. Still, I couldn't bring myself to ban an entire race. It IS illegal, for one thing. Shortly thereafter, the Vortex opened and they joined the other clubs in the policy that if an Asian came to their door, they were denied entry and promptly redirected to The Zone. Our Asian membership increased for obvious reasons - there was actually a club where Asians could go - and white flight ensued. The other clubs weren't doing us a favor by sending business our way - it was obviously an intent to harm my business, and harm it it did. Which only serves to prove my point. I didn't care to operate my business as a "niche" business, only catering to one race "and their admirers" and it was an uphill battle to regain a desired ethnic mix, where anyone felt comfortable. This eventually happened.
I just read a post by berlinzer (or something like that) who was responding to a post by someone who actually liked The Zone and said that Asian faces didn't bother him. Berlinzer responded that just because he didn't want to have sex with Asians didn't mean he was prejudiced. I don't know this guy and maybe I'm speaking out of turn, but this response seemed rather defensive and it seems this person just doesn't like being in the same room as an Asian. Certainly, when you go to a sex club you are not required to have sex with everyone who's there! Yet, he avoids places where Asians are and feels entirely justified in saying so, and doesn't consider his viewpoint as discrimination at all. (I disagree.) I don't want to single this guy out, but point out that his opinion is shared by a lot of men who frequent sex clubs. Therefore, I have some questions and I would really like some honest answers. As I said, I am trying to understand this.
Do you guys think that sex clubs should bar Asians? Some Asians? Most Asians? What would be the reasons for this?
Do you consider barring Asians from sex clubs as discrimination? Is it justified discrimination? Do you patronize other businesses that you know to discriminate against other races or by sexual orientation? Is it okay for some to discriminate but not others?
Is barring Asians from sex clubs not discrimination at all, but simply a good practice? Because the sex clubs are private membership clubs, do you think they have the right to allow/refuse membership along lines of race, age, or weight, and should exercise that right? Were you even aware that some sex clubs may not be allowing Asian members, or did you think that the absence of Asians was just coincidence - or the Asians' choice? If you knew this to be true (it is), would it make a difference to you as a customer? How so? Would it entice you to patronize that business or prevent you from doing so? Or would it make no difference?
I am really looking forward to a healthy discussion, hopefully not one-sided one way or the other. I AM NOT pointing any fingers anywhere nor placing any fault, nor urging anyone to patronize or not patronize any one place. This ever-present complaint and topic intrigues me.
------------------
www.thezonela.com