Representatives from Cesar's, a popular Mexican eatery located at 3166 N. Clark, did not return calls from Windy City Times in the wake of allegations that the restaurant discriminated against a lesbian couple Aug. 31.
According to Naomi Mendoza, she and her girlfriend Melissa Johns joined a group of friends for dinner at Cesar's. Both women noticed their busboy's 'rude attitude,' according to Mendoza, but it wasn't until Mendoza put her arm around her girlfriend and gave her what Mendoza calls a 'very innocent' peck on the cheek that the women allege the situation escalated.
According to Mendoza, at this point 'the busboy came up to us and started yelling at me ... (he) told me to let go of my girlfriend ... his words were, 'please, respect our family, this is not a gay bar, the gay bar is right next door (Annex 3, is located one door south of Cesar's), not here, we don't like this kind of thing.'
When Johns approached the busboy to ask for his name and his manager's name, he allegedly became enraged, telling Mendoza's girlfriend that 'you don't need my name and there's no manager, I'm in charge tonight, so get out!" The busboy, according to Melissa Johns, then allegedly challenged Johns to a physical altercation, asking her to step outside with him and to 'touch him just once.'
As the exchange became more heated, the hostess on duty reportedly threatened to call the police, but allegedly did nothing to defuse the situation.
Mendoza told Windy City Times in an e-mail that they are 'in shock' following the alleged incident. Mendoza said that 'to me, this is a pure act of discrimination against lesbians. It's like they threw me out because I'm Mexican, or Black, or blind or whatever I am. My dignity is hurt. It feels like (Cesar's) can do this to us and get away with it. I am calling for a boycott. No gay, lesbian or transgendered person should go and spend their money (at Cesar's). They don't realize that being in Boystown, many of their customers are probably from the gay community, and if they don't want our business, they should (not be here).'
Added Johns in a telephone interview, 'What hurts the most is that this happened in Boystown. We're supposed to be safe here —(we) were more comfortable being openly affectionate in this neighborhood than anywhere else in the city, and we're really, really upset that this happened.' Johns stated that she is considering filing a complaint with Ald. Tom Tunney, whose district includes Cesar's location.
Attempts to reach the owners of Cesar's, which according to Metromix.com is a 'family owned eatery' in close proximity to the hub of Chicago's GLBT business and entertainment community on North Halsted Street, were unsuccessful as Windy City Times went to press.
Section 2-160-070 of Chicago's Human Rights Ordinance, titled 'Discriminatory Practices—Public Accommodations,' states that no person that owns, leases, rents, operates, manages or in any manner controls a public accommodation can discriminate against any individual because of sexual orientation, among other characteristics.