LGBTQ Bar Apologizes After Drag Performer’s Blackface Act
Pittsburgh's Blue Moon Bar canceled its weekly Open Stage event after receiving death threats over a performance that drew community outrage.
Blue Moon Bar, an LGBTQ club in Pittsburgh’s Lawrenceville neighborhood, has apologized after a drag performer wore blackface during its weekly Open Stage event, prompting death threats against the bar.
“Blue Moon Open Stage has been happening for 14 years,” the bar wrote in a September 30 Facebook post. “We’ve always tried to maintain a safe and welcoming space for our community and have trusted our performers to share their artistic visions without needing to be policed or censored. One performance last week violated this trust resulting in threats of violence against the bar. Our responsibility as always is to our staff and patrons. We therefore are forced to cancel open stage for the time being.”
The performer reportedly wore black makeup to portray Hexxus, an evil spirit of destruction and pollution voiced by Tim Curry in the 1992 animated film FernGully: The Last Rainforest.
Photos of the performance circulated online, drawing outrage from community members.
In a separate September 30 Facebook post, Blue Moon’s management apologized, saying they were not present for the September 23 performance. Two guest hosts who don’t normally oversee the show had allowed it to proceed.
“We were just made aware yesterday that this happened last week,” the post read. “We were not there and we did not witness it. We are not ignoring that this happened, we were just blindsided, horrified this happened in our bar, and had to first talk to the people who witnessed it and who were hosting the event to figure out exactly what happened before we could speak out.
“We’re amazed we even have to say this… but blackface is not OK! And we apologize to anyone who has been offended or triggered by the pictures shared of this performance or to anyone who unfortunately witnessed it,” the post continued. “We know that this new performer didn’t intend to cause such harm with their performance but unfortunately that is what has happened… Whatever the intent, blackface is racist and harmful and it is never acceptable. We are sorry that it happened in our bar.”
The club has since banned performers from portraying races, ethnicities, or nationalities other than their own. It posted the policy in its performer preparation area and shared a photo of the sign on Facebook.
The club also pledged to improve performance screening at its Wednesday Open Stage events.
Some community members said the apology did not go far enough.
Ciora Thomas, executive director of SisTers PGH, a Black and trans-led nonprofit serving people of color and trans and nonbinary people in southwestern Pennsylvania, told QBurgh that the performance should have been stopped as soon as it began.
“Cut the music. Cut the cameras,” Thomas said. “The performer should not have made it through a full set while people entertained it.”
The performer apologized in an Instagram post that has been shared on social media.
“My attempt for accuracy in a cosplay caused an egregious error that resulted in harm to a community I love and care for… Intent does not matter when it comes to the effects of what’s been done,” they wrote. The performer said they had closed their account but reopened it to engage in conversations and make amends. The account now appears to have been deleted.
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