Club-goers queue to get in to Heaven nightclub. (Getty/ Rob Pinney)
Heaven nightclub in London has been criticised after a non-binary clubber accused staff of “invalidating” their identity.
Jordan Bennett tweeted that on Saturday (9 October), they arrived at Heaven, “a place where I am meant to feel free and accepted”, to find that entrance queues were split into two separate lines – one for women, and one for men.
They wrote: “I am non-binary so of course I’m gonna queue in the women’s line in sheer protest of where I know they would expect me to queue based on my appearance.
“I wait to be checked nervously and then one of the security staff rudely gestures me to the other line for men.”
(2/6) gonna queue in the women’s line in sheer protest of where I know they would expect me to queue based on my appearance. I wait to be checked nervously and then one of the security staff rudely gestures me to the other line for men. I then kindly tell them that I am
— Jordan Bennett (@jordxnbennett) October 10, 2021
Bennett said they informed security staff that they are non-binary, “whilst highlighting the pronouns on my earrings which clearly say ‘they/them’”.
However, they said, staff “carried on refusing” to let them in, “repeatedly saying this side was for ‘women only’”.
Bennett continued: “I shamefully walk to the other side… I felt invalidated and embarrassed.
“As a place that hangs the Pride flag on every wall, invites non-binary performers every week to perform, calls themselves a queer venue. This is anything but a queer venue.”
On the night Bennett visited Heaven, Billy Porter appeared onstage, “introducing himself and celebrating every gender identity when they were on stage”, which upset Bennett even further given their alleged queueing experience.
Tag yourselves in & #PoseFX At G-A-Y
An honour to have legendary @theebillyporter at @HeavenLGBTclub with @dragraceukbbc S3 @scarlettharlett #DragRaceUK pic.twitter.com/HLQqLAAEQh— Jeremy Joseph G-A-Y (@JeremyJoseph) October 10, 2021
This “really upset” them, as Porter is an “inspiration” to them,
Calling out Jeremy Joseph, owner of Heaven and G-A-Y, Bennett said: “Jeremy Joseph, this type of treatment at your establishment needs to change.
“And until this backwards, dangerous rhetoric is reversed, Heaven is not and never will be a queer venue. I’m appalled.”
While Bennett was sadly yet unsurprisingly met with rampant transphobia on social media in response to their post, others spoke out in solidarity.
One Twitter user said: “I’m so sorry you had to go through that. These should be our safe spaces, not places which cause us stress, anxiety and invalidation.”
“I’m sorry this happened to you,” said another.
“I find that most problems I hear about at queer venues happen at the door.
“There really needs to be more training and procedure when hiring in agency security especially when they are not LGBT+.”
PinkNews has approached Heaven for comment.