Surely, you’ve seen those signs at local establishments that read: “We welcome: All races, All religions, All orientations, All genders, All abilities. You are welcome here.” Listen, I’m down with the sign; I’m for inclusivity. But I’ve noticed something about those signs that makes me question their intent. Their existence appears to be confined to affluent, super-white neighborhoods, and nowhere else.
A playhouse in Ashland, OR, a croissant shop in Park Slope, Brooklyn—you know, those kinds of places. You’re just not going to see that sign at a Kwik Stop in Bumpass, Virginia, or at a Peking duck eatery in Flushing, Queens.
So, given the demographics of where, and only where, these signs seem to appear, I can’t help but interpret the vibe they give off as defensive. It’s as if they’re worried that you might come to their store, look around at all the able-bodied, heterosexual, cisgendered, well-to-do, white folks and start to wonder, might this place actually be turning away anyone with even the slightest hint of melanin or with even the most fleeting of bi-curious thoughts?
“No!!” the sign barks at you preemptively. “We welcome everyone!”
