A Chicago Gay Bar Hosted a Racist “Sista Girl” Puppet Performance – Them

Plenty of audience members — and even staff — were rightfully unwilling to “laugh together” at Halliday’s set, however. One bartender, Cris Bleaux, told local publication Block Club Chicago that he walked out and quit in the midst of Halliday’s performance, which also allegedly involved jokes aimed at sexual assault survivors, Puerto Ricans, and trans people, according to Bleaux.

“The longer I was there, I started feeling nauseous,” Bleaux told the publication. “I reached a point where I realized my integrity is more than this job. I had to go.”

The bar posted an apology on social media on Wednesday, writing that they “deeply regret not vetting the entertainer prior to the event.”

“People were harmed by his words,” the apology reads. “Racism and transphobia are wrong, we need to do better. Touché will continue to upgrade our awareness of and responses to racism, sexism, and transphobia. We are currently exploring ways to address the harm was caused.”

To that end, the bar is hosting a community gathering at the nearby Leather Archives and Museum on November 9 to receive feedback. But leather and kink community members have already reacted with anger and disappointment, especially since Chicago has one of the most vibrant leather communities in the country, with Touché being open since 1977. As Go Pride Chicago reported, the Mr. International Rubber competition has cut ties with the bar, and several Chicago Leather titleholders have also disavowed the bar.

Considering that Touché has played host to events for organizations such as Onyx Midwest, the regional branch of a national organization for leathermen of color, the incident is understandably deeply upsetting for Chicago’s LGBTQ+ community. But sadly, racist divisions within queer bar scenes are as old as queer culture itself. 

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