#venues

Did you know that at least three gay bars in San Francisco are using dystopian face-scanning technology on their patrons?1

That means that businesses that claim to foster safety and community are building secret, unaccountable lists of everyone who walks through their doors—during an enormous wave of political persecution against queer and trans people.

Bars say facial recognition makes people safer. That is an utter lie. Take action ASAP to tell these businesses to keep creepy biometric surveillance out of our queer spaces:

TAKE ACTION

Venues that use facial recognition to scan and track their visitors are, fundamentally, building lists of gender and sexual minorities and their allies. What’s just as scary: we have no idea how many LGBTQ+ spaces are using this tech, how long the data is stored, and who has access to it.

The spread of surveillance tech through LGBTQ+ venues is a crisis for our community.

Facial recognition is dangerous for everyone, but it carries special risks for queer and trans people. Certain states are already building databases of trans people.2 Other states and agencies are demanding trans people’s medical histories3 and other sensitive data.4 This, as powerful political figures push for our reeducation and eradication.

We’ve seen this movie before, and it does not end well. LGBTQ+ venues that use biometric surveillance technology, including facial recognition, must remove it, scrap the data, and apologize to their patrons. All others should commit to keeping their community safe by rejecting surveillance technology—now and forever. Tell these businesses how you feel now, and share this action if you can.

In solidarity, Anna and the team at Fight P.S. Want to help grow our power as a small queer and trans-led org to fight back against BS surveillance like this? Read more about our work and chip in here. Any amount helps!

Footnotes:

Gazetteer SF: https://sf.gazetteer.co/why-do-these-castro-gay-bars-have-tsa-style-face-scanners

LGBTQ Nation: https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2026/05/gop-gov-signs-harmful-law-creating-a-state-database-of-trans-patients/

LGBTQ Nation: https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2026/06/the-admin-is-trying-to-collect-trans-kids-medical-information-so-families-are-suing/

Some headshots for FFXIV venues!

Bamburgh Castle is located in the village of Bamburgh in Northumberland, England. The 6th century kings of Northumbria chose Bamburgh as their royal capital. The castle is located 150 feet above the coastline and is connected to the North Sea by a natural harbor. In the 11th century, the Normans built a new castle on the site, which forms the core of the present one. 

Bamburgh became the property of King Henry II in the 12th century when it served as an outpost. Northumbria has a history of being invaded by rival kingdoms and served as an important border garrison. Bamburgh served as a palace for monarchs for centuries and hosted kings and prisoners. In 1610, the castle was gifted by King James I to Claudius Forster, but unable to afford the upkeep, the castle fell into ruin. The bankrupt estate and deteriorated castle were restored by the Crewe Trustees.

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Wake up to serene views, spend your afternoons by the shimmering pool, indulge in gourmet flavors crafted with care, and let the evenings come alive with music, laughter, and the glow of festivity.

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