Inquiry Reveals Bigotry at Gay Club

SAN FRANCISCO — In a case closely watched by San Francisco’s homosexual community, a city commission found that the owner of a popular homosexual nightclub discriminated against black patrons and violated local civil rights codes.

After a 10-month investigation, the San Francisco Human Rights Commission found that the club Badlands required multiple forms of identification from some black customers, used discriminatory hiring practices, applied a dress code only to black patrons and denied entry using other policies rarely applied to whites.

The commission also said Tuesday that club owner Les Natali referred to blacks as “non-Badlands customers” who should be discouraged from patronizing the club, located in the city’s predominantly homosexual Castro neighborhood.

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