Gay Republicans are outraged that an LGBTQ+ venue banned people from wearing MAGA gear after a man in a red MAGA hat made other patrons uncomfortable.

Badlands is a nightclub with two stories of dance floors in the Lavender Heights neighborhood of Sacramento, California. Steven Bourasa recently decided to visit while wearing a red MAGA hat.

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“I’ve never worn a red [Make America Great Again] hat to the gay bars before. I said, ‘What the heck? Let’s see what happens,'” he told KCRA 3. “We were having drinks and hanging out, and it was a pleasant time. So I was really impressed. And I complimented security on the good job they did.”

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He did admit to CBS 13 that he was “a little nervous” to be wearing a MAGA hat to a queer nightclub and that he felt “uncomfortable” when he left an hour after getting there, even though he wasn’t kicked out and he said he didn’t have any incidents with other patrons about the hat.

But other patrons of the LGBTQ+ venue also experienced “discomfort,” according to a statement from Badlands owner TJ Bruce that was posted to social media.

“Moving forward, MAGA-related attire will not be allowed in the venue,” Bruce wrote. “This decision is not about banning political beliefs — it is about ensuring that Badlands remains a space where our community feels comfortable and supported.”

Bruce said that he was originally going to ban all political attire but decided that it’s not political beliefs that are the problem. Instead, it’s just MAGA gear that bothers other patrons.

But gay Republicans are not happy with the decision, calling it “unfair.”

“This decision is not based upon protecting our community,” said Preston Romero, president of Log Cabin Republicans of Sacramento. “It’s about bullying and singling out one particular political ideology. And we believe that that’s unfair.”

But other people who go to Badlands said that they understand the decision.

“Given the current political climate and what’s been going on and how the administration has been behaving toward certain groups, especially the LGBTQ community, I can understand why they made that decision,” said Alice Malmberg. She added that she was “happy” to hear that Bourasa wasn’t removed before the policy was put into place.

As for Bourasa, he said that he was surprised to hear about the decision since he “didn’t have any problems” at Badlands. He said that he would still go back to Badlands, but he’ll leave his hat at home now.

The ban comes shortly after a similar incident at an LGBTQ+ bar in Indianapolis called Chatterbox. Several people in MAGA hats allegedly misgendered and harassed an employee and other patrons at Chatterbox earlier this month.

“We went up to the bar and before we could even get a word out or order a drink, he just looked at me and said, ‘No,’” one of the MAGA hat-wearing people said in a social media video. “I said, ‘Excuse me?’ He said, ‘Absolutely not.’ He said, ‘Your hat. You need to leave right now.'”

She then tried to confront employees of Chatterbox while recording a video, but instead she got mocked by a bartender while the crowd laughed at her.

“You know this is discrimination, right?” she said in the video as laughter erupted.

“Boo hoo! Boo-f**king-hoo” the bartender responded. “Get out of my bar.”

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