Sydney Gay Club Bans Bachelorette Parties

Universal, a gay night spot located on Oxford Street in Sydney, Australia, has put the kibosh on bachelorette parties – called "hens nights" in that country and in the UK – with a source explaining that the parties are "always terrible, always an issue," the Instagram account GaySydneyNews reported.

The venue has also banned stag parties.

Noting that the ban came into force around Feb. 17, the source told GaySydneyNews that "There's definitely a place for women in gay bars who are there mostly for the same reasons we are: to enjoy the drag, the music and the people."

However, the source added, the "exception to this are hens parties. Always terrible, always an issue.... They're usually drinking beforehand and there are always issues surrounding hens."

The Daily Mail noted that the ban was put in place "around the same time as the Mardi Gras parade and World Pride."

The venue underscored that the ban pertained not to any sort of people, including women, but rather to types of parties. "Universal is committed to being open and welcoming to ALL," a spokesperson told the newspaper. "It's in our name."

The source went on to say, "It is important for us to clarify that this policy absolutely does not single out women or men in particular."

Even so, "We choose to restrict bucks parties and hens nights from the venue," the spokesperson said, "due to the increased risk of intoxication and anti-social behavior often associated with them."

Another source told GaySydneyNews, "There's 100% a place for women in queer spaces, but we're not doing gays on safari."

One of the establishment's owners, Dillon Shaw, told the Daily Mail, "We're a queer venue for queer people."

The Mail recalled that in 2019, another popular gay spot implemented similar restrictions, not just on the parties but on their customary paraphernalia; Slims Rooftop, the account detailed, imposed "a ban on sashes and penis straws."

Slim's Rooftop declared, "We're all about fun but not at the expense of everyone else."

Check out some of Universal's Instagram posts, below.