Chappell Roan-Inspired Sydney Nightclub Backtracks After “Gay Men Only” Backlash
A new Sydney nightclub, which used the name of a popular Chappell Roan song, Pink Pony Club, has announced it will rebrand after its owners declared the venue was created specifically for gay men. The move prompted a swift and pointed response from the community online.
So what was the original plan.
Kevin Du-Val and Michael Lewis, the owner and manager of Palms on Oxford, revealed their new venue, Pink Pony, in a social media post that has since been taken down. The post explained the club was for “18-35 (state of mind) Gay men who love to dance and get sweaty to high powered dance music in a safe space that is theirs to enjoy”.
The name is a direct reference to the song Pink Pony Club by lesbian pop artist Chappell Roan. The song itself was inspired by her first visit to The Abbey, a famous gay bar in West Hollywood.
In an interview with Gay Sydney News on October 12, Lewis doubled down on the club’s intended audience. He said Pink Pony will “unashamedly be targeted at the boys”.
“Of course the girls will be welcome, but it would certainly be our desire that it is predominantly gay boys, and when I say predominantly, I’m sort of talking 90 per cent-plus,” he stated.
The community was not having it…
The problematic nature of naming a club after a song by a lesbian artist while actively discouraging women from attending was not lost on people. Critics online questioned the decision, highlighting a perceived tone-deafness.
“You take the namesake from a lesbian and queer woman, the culture provided to you by brown and Black queer and trans woman, and continue to create spaces for yourself while excluding those who have fought for your community,” one user posted on X.
Local queer events organisation Heaps Gay also weighed in on October 13, labelling the decision “disappointing and tone deaf”. Their Instagram post asked, “Appropriating lesbian culture for your own $/benefit for gay men!! What??”
A quick rebrand is now underway.
Following the backlash, the club’s digital presence was erased. On Tuesday, October 14, The Guardian Australia reported that the Pink Pony Instagram account was wiped and replaced with the handle @new.name.coming.
Lewis told the publication that they were listening to the criticism. “We acknowledge and respect the very passionate feedback from the wider community and it is clear that it’s best to move forward with a different name for the new venue,” he said.
The controversy touches on a sensitive issue, as spaces dedicated to queer women and others in the LGBTQIA+ community face constant pressure. Melbourne’s Beans Bar, a space for lesbian, neurodivergent, and trans people, closed in March after less than two years.
The Ladies League in Sydney, which opened as a women’s sports bar in August 2024, shut its doors in January. It raises the question, how do we ensure our nightlife remains inclusive for everyone?
