We are deeply saddened that the specific interaction in question was, in any fashion, construed to have any racial overtones. As an institution, we take our role in the wider community very seriously. Throughout the worst of the AIDS epidemic, many HIV positive individuals found both employment and a safe home at The Leather Man when confronted by fear and discrimination elsewhere. The Leather Man has a long history of employing women, people of color, and transgendered individuals in both sales and management positions. Civil liberties and the right to openly be who you are have been principles The Leather Man has upheld throughout the decades. In this pre-Stonewall era, being gay, let alone being a Leather Man could result in arrest, persecution, and discrimination.
The Leather Man was founded in 1965, a period in American history where the Civil Rights Movement was just gaining traction and the Gay Rights Movement was barely in its infancy. The Leather Man also released a statement on Monday:Ī number of rumors and misinformation about a supposedly racist incident taking place in our shop have been making the rounds on social media. He wrote this minutes after the incident. Going through my IG messages and I find: a message from a guy who was at when they kicked me out. Konnor said that another employee followed them out of the Christopher Street store and apologized for the owner. After we left, the other patrons left, too. It’s horrible. He told us he didn’t have time to watch us-well no one asked you to watch us. He didn’t care what we had to say. We were the only African Americans in the store. Konnor told AVN that “after consulting with the leather maker and being advised the store would not be able to order the specific items he wanted” the white store owner rushed him and a friend out of the store while telling them he didn’t have time to watch them: “I went back upstairs because the leather shop is downstairs and the owner comes up to us and says, ‘Guys, we don’t have time to watch customers who aren’t buying anything.’ Then he stood there looking at us for like a minute and basically went in for the kill. If you guys ever come to New York or if you frequent this place, please let them know how you feel.” I just basically got kicked out of a store because of the color of my skin. Said Konnor in a video posted to Twitter: “Racism. Please let them know that this behavior will not stand. The owner of just kicked me out after coming in trying to get an outfit made for the awards.
#XL GAY PORNHUB FULL#
Guys, I just experienced racism full force. Said Konnor on Twitter: “Guys, I just experienced racism full force. A post shared by Max Konnor on at 6:20pm PDT