An ugly incident at Indianapolis jazz bar the Chatterbox has attracted national attention, but it also might have backfired on its instigator. At this point, you are likely aware of the broad strokes of the story: A week ago today, a woman known to many in the local food and dining scene posted video from the 435 Massachusetts Ave. institution that showed a bartender ejecting her from the premises. Elise Hensley, whose now-removed business website presented her as a branding expert who’s designed logos for local restaurants, told news outlets she was asked to leave because she was wearing a “Make America Great Again” hat, which is typically a signifier of people who wish to express their ardent devotion to the beliefs and policies of U.S. President Donald Trump.
Hensley shared video of a portion of the Friday, March 14 interaction via social media, which was then amplified by the personal social media account of Indiana Lieutenant Governor Micah Beckwith. But according to bar owner David Andrichik, the footage from the video was just a small portion of the interaction the group of patrons had with Chatterbox staffers, which included misgendering the female bartender as male and harassing and insulting other employees. “I think they were targeting us because of our pride flag outside,” Andrichik told the IBJ. “They intentionally came in to get the lay of the land and then saw the opportunity to begin the argument … and to rile us up.”
Hensley has denied this, saying in one interview, “I have lots of gay friends. I have lots of trans friends. For people to assume that I don’t like those types of people, that’s absolutely insane. Even though I am a Trump supporter, I absolutely love LGBTQ community.” But as noted by WFYI, even after she was made aware of the bartender’s gender, Hensley continued to use the wrong pronouns to refer to her, even during interviews with media. According to nonprofit news organization Hoosier Enquirer, this is not the first time Hensley has expressed views that seem at odds with her stated support of historically and systemically marginalized communities.
Hensley, who has also removed her social media accounts, was not reachable for comment for this report, and I don’t know that it’s productive to speculate on why someone who claims to be a booster of the local food and dining industry and the LGBTQ+ community would be so eager to wreak havoc on both. But while the story going viral was the short-term impact, with the Chatterbox hit with online hate from those who agree with Trump’s policies opposing equality for gay and trans folks, the business has received a remarkable wave of support from Hoosiers appalled by what many see as another black eye for progress in Indiana. Every night since the incident, the business has been “busier than usual,” a staffer told me Wednesday night. I live on the same block as the Chatterbox and can confirm that crowds have spilled out the door all week; even Thursday night, as the chill wind whipped up the street, its ourdoor seating area was well-populated. While the spot is always hopping, it definitely seems to be far more packed since the video began to spread.
“We’re here because we want people to know we’re not all like the lady from that video,” one patron in the bar’s standing-room-only outdoor seating area told me Tuesday as a passenger in a passing car leaned out their window to yell, “F**k Beckwith! F**k Trump!”
“People should know that not everyone in Indiana wants to live in The Handmaid’s Tale,” another patron said. “We think about moving somewhere more tolerant, but f**k that. We’re going to stay and fight, and listen to some music, and drink. We’re going to live our lives.”
The irony, perhaps, is that one of the reasons Indiana has a reputation for being anti-gay is also one of the reasons local businesses have abundant protections to allow them to deny service to customers who express views they abhor. Indiana’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act, also known as RFRA—a law pushed by former-governor-turned-first-Trump-term-vice-president Mike Pence a decade ago—protects the right to religious freedom for all Indiana residents, with a focus on ensuring businesses or their employees are not forced to violate their beliefs in the commission of work. The law, which was lauded by conservatives including Trump, ensures those who embrace common faith-based beliefs, such as Jesus Christ’s championing of inclusion and equity (often referred to in the present-day using the initialism “DEI”) will not be forced to do business with those who express opposition to those values.
In addition to the new wave of crowds at the Chatterbox, the controversy has also livened up the local restaurant community. Every chef and owner I’ve spoken to this week has expressed admiration for Andrichik and his staff, with many suggesting the effort to rally people against the Chatterbox hasn’t just fizzled—it’s imploded. “This is such a good reminder of what we need to stand for here,” one restaurant owner told me Tuesday. “And it’s proof that we can shut those bullies down.”
Jonathan Brooks, the co-founder of local groundbreakers Milktooth and Beholder, told me Friday’s incident was “infuriating … embarrassing,” and says anyone who intentionally misgendered a staffer at his business “would not be tolerated.”
“The only silver lining is at least knowing where people really stand,” he says of the resulting reaction to the controversy. “Maybe more of us can realize we’re actually on the same damn side.” Is an industry-wide organization against customers who seek to harass employees and disrupt business for the purpose of a regression-focused agenda in Indy’s future? Signs suggest it might be, so stay tuned.
The post The Chatterbox Flourishes Following MAGA-Hat Mess appeared first on Indianapolis Monthly.