the reality is that i don't think it's ever actually come up, because i
don't tend to be drawn to those kinds of places, anyways. i don't recall
ever being turned away anywhere. but, i don't have any memories of
actually going anywhere that would make it an issue or want to turn me
away, either. 98% of the time that i'm in a bar, it's to see a concert
and, for the other 2% of the time, i would naturally avoid a place like
that out of reflex, and seek out the dive bar down the street, instead.
i've never had a group of friends that would say "let's go to this bar
with a dress code", either - i've always preferred social groups that
consist of anarchists, punks and nerds that would rather hang out in
dive bars, in the first place.
that night that i got thrown out of the works probably had a lot do with
what i was wearing, but it was a gender expression thing. i never
really got a straight answer, but i appear to have upset some guys at
the bar via a combination of turning on their girlfriends and confusing
them about what my gender was. i was there on that night to see
allessandro cortini, and he seems to have attracted a lot of
heteronormative meatheads to what is generally a sleazy dance bar. so,
yes - they probably threw me out for what i was wearing, but it was more
of a gender thing than a class thing, and all i can do is point out
that it reflects exceedingly poorly on the bar owners and management.
the bar has since closed.
i have no other examples.
and, my only request to the new detroit is that they tell me before hand so i can avoid anywhere that wants to put one down.