Paloma M.
Yelp
On the very first Saturday of Pride Month this year, a friend and I got ready for some gaytivities and headed to Splash. As expected the line was quite long, it reached past the stinky dumpsters, but nothing would stop us from having a great night...
My friend pointed out that someone (1M & 1F) had cut us, I hadn't even noticed. My friend confronted them saying they weren't in front of us all this time. The male rudely cut my friend off by pretending not to understand what she was saying, I intervened and translated. He was caught off guard, but finally said they had come with the girls in front of them. It was apparent that wasn't true. My friend and I wanted to let it go since it was just them two and we were almost to the front, but the male was obviously annoyed by the interaction. His attitude annoyed me, so I simply asked the girls they had supposedly come with if this was true. The girls let us know that it wasn't true, and were so kind they invited us to join them in line. At this point, my friend and I were ready to put them and the situation behind us and continue having a great night. Immediately, he started to make threats in Spanish so only I could understand what he was saying, "Just wait and see when we get in there. I'm gona get this b**** whenever I get the chance. I'm gonna get this b**** in the bathroom." ... At this point my heart was racing. I was somewhere between angry and scared, so when we finally made it, I told the security the situation. I explained I didn't care they cut but rather the attitude and threats. The security ensured me that was unacceptable and pulled them out of the line. We went inside and tried to forget it. Later on that night while happily dancing with my friend, the two that had cut us managed to make it inside. I was stunned and confused. The man got in my face and yelled, "You stupid little b****. That wasn't cool but I got in anyway HaHa. You stupid little c*** with your ugly fat a** friend". I responded only by telling him to leave us alone! My friend wanted me to let it go not hearing or understanding anything he was saying to me... The last comment was enough for me. I walked away. I am 6'+. I knew i could have gotten physical and been ok, but I am not an aggressive person. When passing by security I yelled at them with tears running down my face, "How could you let them in, he made threats straight to my face instigating a fight!" I stormed off, my friend stayed behind and told the security that had pulled them out of line what had happened. The security explained it wasn't up to them and shared the male that enticed the situation knew the owner of Splash and convinced the owner we were just two drunk dumb girls...
I can't put into words exactly how I felt and feel even now. All the times I showed up to represent and support Splash despite the club being dead, filled with couples, and straight men preying on gay women. To think that even at a LGBTQIA+ Club, a place that's supposed to be a safe space for all, a man can get away by saying, "Don't listen to that female, she's emotional, she was drunk!" (FYI the night had just started, I was NOT drunk). I feel deeply betrayed, disappointed, distraught, you name it. In San Jose, Splash is all there is. So now, now there is nothing.
The owner will try to reach out and make it right, but I know that's only because I am coming out publicly with the situation. Do not contact me, I will leave this up. Women deserve better.