SGL Café

Who cares about Chi Chiz bar?

[NY POST] "Gay activists and civil rights lawyers will go to court Thursday to try to stop the NYPD from closing Chi Chiz, a Christopher Street bar that caters to homosexual and transgendered black men." Once again forces are gathering to shut down a symbol of Black Gay New York. Love it or hate it, that's what Chiz Chiz is, a symbol, though one of many. Sitting in the West Village on iconic Christopher St. mere blocks from the historic birth of the modern gay rights movement at the Stonewall Inn over 40 years ago. It seems when it comes to Chi Chiz, modern West Village residents' tolerant attitudes falter and "they cry 'quality of life' and 'not in my neighborhood.'" Hmmm ... would that be the same historic and globally renowned gayborhood that they moved into? But to answer the question posed: We care. Or at least we should. Though some of us don't go out to bars as much as we used to, we should still care what happens to Chi Chiz -- a spot described in Flavalife magazine as "Black Gay Family at the Center of the World." Pictures here are from one of the art exhibits the bar caters (this one is Derek Bell), and some random shots from karaoke night and such, which show the spot is hardly the nefarious drug den it's being labeled to be. Chi Chiz's lawyer, Tom Shanahan, told Page Six the city asked the bar to make an iron-clad guarantee that no drugs would be sold or used on its premises -- but Chi Chiz couldn't promise that. "We can't guarantee that," Shanahan explained. "I said to the judge, when the city figures out how to keep drugs off Rikers Island, they can hold us to the same standard. The terms they are insisting on would put us out of business. This is what they wanted all along." Harmless karaoke. Does a more dangerous element show up sometimes? Maybe a drug dealer or two? Of course, just like in ALL bars drug dealers will defy the bars "no drug policy" and covertly peddle their wares anyway. Shanahan accused undercover cops of encouraging people to go into Chi Chiz to buy drugs. "It's a set-up," he said. "It's entrapment. It's similar to what happened in the '60s to gay bookstores." Witnesses will include Raven, a transgender Chi Chiz bartender. "She gets pulled over almost every night driving home from work for alleged prostitution," Shanahan said. "It's ridiculous." It is ridiculous. Are all Village Bars being harassed equally, or just the black gay ones? Bad things happen in bars occasionally and more aggressive action may be needed to tamp it down, but this pressure seems unfairly targeted at this one particular bar. Whether we go to Chi Chiz or not, Ask yourself, as beautiful and as loud and as 'shade' throwing as it is, should we sit back and watch the black gay experience be so easily displaced, only to watch it pop up in the next trendy location and have all this drama repeat itself? Or should we do something? And if so, what? Love it or not, letting it buckle to unfair pressure without a fight would be a sad blow from the community it caters to and shares a reputation with. Maybe if we as a community of artists of all mediums began to hold more events there -- even more art openings and book signing, a virtual parade of talent -- we could actually change our black gay footprint on Christopher St. As long as The Village is known around the world as NYC's 'gayborhood central', it should represent all in the LGBT rainbow (and not just one Chelsea Boy stripe). Maybe it's time for Chi Chiz to shut down and we'll visit the matter somewhere else. Or, maybe it's time for our talented community to grow up and take control of its reputation. Let's bet on the latter. ~

Enough can't be said about the Village kids ...

Eric Leven at the Bilerico Project gives us The Importance of the West Village and those God-Damned Christopher St. Kids. In it, he acknowledges that he's talked at great length on the subject many many times before. I tried to comment but for some reason I couldn't. So I decided to air my thoughts here, because the LGBT haven known as Christopher St. and the attack on it by outsiders who knew damn well what they were buying into but did it anyway must be seen through the prism of concern for the safety of these children. Period. We understand the residents issues, but they must take a back-seat to those LGBT youth who have no other haven as accepting as the W. Village and Christopher Street. They knew exactly what they were buying into when they purchased that swanky-cool W. Village condo. Their whining now does not move me, never will. Anywhere else but the Village, these youth are liable to be killed just for being who they are. I understood Eric Leven's broaching the subject repeatedly because I also can't say enough about the Village and its kids. My first such lament here was titled Haven -- and it recalls a most remarkable time in my life.

Rainy Pride ...

It rained a bit. Well, a lotta bit. Still the marchers only cheered when the thunder boomed, as if we were the cause of it. Yeah. In the Obama Pride group, we felt we had that power .... [ ~ I haven't done the pics yet -- after holding an Obama Pride sign over my head, chanting, yelling, running, AND taking pictures all the way from 54th and 5th to Christopher and Hudson ... I'm wiped, my feet hurt and I can't lift my arms anymore. Plus, I've also got a really weird 'chafing situation' due to my linen shorts getting drenched at the start of the march. But I will get all the pictures loaded here asap, or, as soon as I can raise my arms again. Clicking on the photos takes you to the Flickr album. ~ ]

End of an Era: Willie Ninja Steals Away

An old negro spiritual opines, 'Steal away, steal away home, I ain't got long to stay here.' Just as the summer suddenly fled, two people very close to my heart stole away. Willie Ninja -- star of Paris is Burning, legendary father of the House of Ninja, the one who taught Madonna how to vogue, and the shining star who made Pier kids cringe and set some hearts a-flutter … has left the building. Yeah, he will be terrribly missed. The Pier in NYC has changed. Willie Ninja, its reigning Grand Dame, the one who I loved from afar but never had the balls to speak to, is also gone. I’m feeling quite introspective and melancholy today. Because also this summer, Randy, my friend and mentor in the life passed away at forty-two. In the eighties we usta to do coke together on the the pier in my blue Trans-AM and in clubs like Better Days and Midtown 43 ... I stopped, he didn't. His heart finally couldn't take it. Now with Willie Ninja gone and Randy gone, I can't help but to feel that a chapter in my life has ended for good. Still tears won't come. I guess I've already done my share of that. What a sad close to a glorious summer. Silver Lining: Harmonica Sunbeam is back on her feet and doing her thing. Praises for that! Memories of Willie, and the Pier in NYC ... Haven Other Willie Ninja Tributes ... Jasmyne Cannick ... Keith Boykin ... Emmanuel Xavier

Willie Ninja

It's been reported that the legendary Willie Ninja is sick. Known as The Godfather of Vogue and for his role in the groundbreaking film, Paris is Burning, apparently he's been ill for sometime and there was even a benefit for him back in December, which I heard nothing about.

I have to admit that back in the day I had a serious crush on him ... in a school-boy kinda way.

I usta watch him in awe on the pier in NYC, voguing and drawing a crowd. He was almost other-worldly to me then, like he was God and I felt fortunate if he occasionally smiled in my general direction.

Okay, I was more than smitten. Still am.

I hope all turns out well for him. I'm sending good healing vibes his way. Because Willie Ninja, and his unapologetically gay and bold approach to life should be an inspiration to us all.

It certainly is to me.

For a bit more on me and Willie Ninja ... read Haven.