G-A-Y Late Humiliates Customer After Security Denies Entry Over HIV Meds

By: Jack MacNamara, Staff Writer

LONDON, ENGLAND – One of Britain’s most legendary LGBT nightclubs has garnered huge blow back after reports of an incident that occurred last Wednesday May 31, at the nightclub between a staff and a person in the queue to enter the establishment.

According to Buzzfeed, the G-A-Y Late nightclub is being accused of refusing to let a man into the venue because when security checked his bag at the door, the security guard discovered that the man named “Oliver” was carrying HIV medication.

The customer, 24 year-old “Oliver”, who is HIV+, states that the staff interrogated him loudly in front of other customers waiting in line. When security found antiretroviral drugs Truvada and Efavirenz in his bag, they treated him as though he was a danger to the patrons.

Allegedly the security guard told “Oliver” that he could not come in with those medications due to the fact that “you can’t bring pills into a night club.” Even after “Oliver” allegedly offered to take his medication in front of them, the security guard still refused to allow Oliver to enter the nightclub.

Oliver told BuzzFeed…
“Even when I’ve had situations at airports where [security] people have asked me what my medication is, they always take you to one side and ask you quietly and don’t make a huge fuss out of it,” he said. “Whereas [in this situation] I was still stood at the front of the queue, in front of everyone else in there, in front of all the smokers, in front of my friends, in front of all the other staff.” said Oliver. “I thought it was inappropriate. It’s quite humiliating. I was mortified – as a gay venue, that [explaining it’s HIV medication] should have been the end of the conversation.” said Oliver.

Oliver further added…“I think it’s really irresponsible and really disappointing. It’s an extra layer of challenges that people with HIV have to deal with – it shouldn’t be this complicated. I’m not going to be going back to that venue.” You’re really not missing much, sweetie.” said Oliver.

The G-A-Y Life brand should totally be embarrassed by this and should issue not only a private apology but a very public one as well to the thousands of patrons regardless if they are LGBTQ or heterosexual, who patron the establishment and whom also are on some form of life saving medications.

In this day and age, all gay venue staff and management should be trained to recognise medications of patrons. Not to mention if you are dealing with a personal matter such as this, simply ask the customer to step to the side and speak with them privately regarding the issue and not publicly humiliate a customer because of your own ignorance.

This is the first time this reporter has ever heard of an incident where LGBTQ venues have discriminated against customers carrying life saving medications.

According to Oliver, he emailed the G-A-Y Life corporate email explaining how “insensitive” he thought the staff and security were during this ordeal. He says that he received one reply from his original email indicating that they would “respond shortly”.

It has now been five days as of this story, and Oliver has still not replied to his alleged complaint.