Bar Faces Backlash For What Public Calls Modern Day ‘Whites Only’ Sign

A dress code might be instituted for any number of reasons. But a set of rules outlining what can and can't be worn can often contain an underlying message that discriminates against a group.

Whether a school requires strict uniforms or simply a general dress code, the gendered nature of these rules can be problematic. School dress codes can be confusing at best and outright sexist at worst.

While not exactly dress codes, per say, most bars follow pretty strict rules when it comes to what people they let inside their place of business. The whole "no shoes, no shirt, no service" rule is pretty much unspoken nowadays — it's a given at basically every public place, so there's no need to specifically outline it on a sign anymore.

A bar might require collared shirts, for instance, if it wants to maintain a certain image. If gang violence is an issue, they might ban gang colors. But it's easy to see where this falls off the rails.

A Canadian bar attracted criticism in 2014 for this sign. It seemed to many as if the rules pointedly targeted elements of black culture. As if that wasn't enough, the Snoop Dogg reference was especially on the nose.

Barwest, a pub in midtown Sacramento, recently instituted a dress code of their own. After Facebook user Bub Da Sop posted an image of the sign calling it "modern way whites only sign", it quickly became a topic of discussion.

The new dress code prohibits sweats, chains, grills, baggy clothes, “gang colors” and solid color t-shirts being worn inside the establishment after 10 p.m.

"How could they be taking steps backward was my first reaction," Sonia Lewis, who's involved with Sacramento Black Lives Matter, told local media. "Like I said, I'm not surprised. It's very much indicative of the midtown experience.

As noted by a local to CBS, "Grills are culture-specific."

The rule about 'gang colors' also seems targeted at black people, as gang colors are mostly prevalent with African-American gangs.

While some commenters, like the one above, expressed support for the notion that such a sign is racist, many opposed the idea, saying the sign wasn't racist. Of course, this being the internet, there are never any winners in online debates.

"ALL the younger kids wear that crap," one Facebook user wrote. "I don't blame this place for wanting their patrons to dress like adults. Frankly I'm tired of seeing pants down around their knees and boxers showing."

"If you can't put together a nice outfit without incorporating any of these elements, that's a personal problem," one user wrote. "Don't like it? Go somewhere else."

"Go to any other city and see how people dress in nightclubs," one person wrote. "When I moved to [Sacramento] I couldn’t stop laughing at the things I've seen people wear."

Another pointed out that Barwest isn't even worth the drama to begin with: "Can we all just agree that this bar / club sucks anyways and there is tons of better spots to go to in [Sacramento]?"

The bar's rating has taken a hit on Yelp, where it's currently ranked as three stars out of five. Because of the sign controversy, Yelp is closely monitoring the Barwest page and its reviews.

The notice explains that Barwest has recently been in the news, which can often lead people to leave nasty, emotionally charged reviews that aren't genuine or actually reflective of the bar itself. As a result, the website has temporarily suspended reviews for the establishment.

Dress codes can be a thorny issue at the best of times. Let us know what you think of this story — is the sign subtly racist, or are the allusions to black culture just a coincidence?

h/t: Yahoo Lifestyle