Texas bar made a gay man take off his makeup before entering to 'keep everybody safe'

In spite of increasing acceptance and celebration of gender non-confirming people, a Texas bar has doubled down on their manager's decision to ask a gay man to take his full face of makeup off before entering the restaurant.

Pink News reported Friday that DJ Twinky Gallegos, the manager at a Corpus Christi Whiskey River location, said the bar enforces a dress code requiring that "men need to dress like men" because its staff wants to "keep everybody safe."

Earlier this month, a young man named Bobby Rodriguez posted about the Corpus Christi location barring him from entering the club before he removed his makeup. The incident soon went viral, and protests ensued.

In a subsequent post, Rodriguez said he'd gone to Whiskey River in full makeup weeks before on his birthday.

Gallegos told KristiTV6 the bar began enforcing the dress code after a transgender woman was assaulted at a Whiskey River and later sued the company for damages.

"There was no reason to bring in the gay community,” said Gallegos. “What happened at the door with removing the makeup had nothing to do with him being gay or straight.”