A New York City club owner bans a member of the zodiac from entering. He says he has a good reason, but is the policy fair?
"So this is crazy. This club in New York, they banned a certain zodiac sign... And guess what sign it is?" TikTok user @b.soul13 said in a viral video with more than 2.3 million views.
No, it's not Scorpios, Geminis, or Virgos, which are each notorious in their own way. We'll give you a moment to guess. Ready?
Is this zodiac discrimination?
It's Aries.
The owner of the Zamboni club allegedly said that Aries started most of the fights in the club.
"Aries, y'all some crazy folks. If you an Aries comment who you are so I can stay away from you. I ain't tryna get knocked out," @b.soul13 said.
Commenters react
"I guess in the clerb we aren’t all fam," a top comment read.
"Did Aries really start the fight? Or…did they finish it?" a person said.
"An Aries will open up a club right next door," another wrote.
What are Aries like?
Aries star signs are those born between Mar. 21 and Apr. 20.
They are known to be "loud, proud, strong and brave," according to Cosmopolitan magazine.
"They are the baby of the zodiac, only in that they are the first sign and therefore the most raw with their needs, demands and emotions."
Aries tend to have a big presence known for their warmth and passion.
Famous Aries include Lady Gaga, Diana Ross, Celine Dion, Eddie Murphy, Sarah Jessica Parker, Mariah Carey, Halle Bailey, and Chance the Rapper.
Is this legal?
Short answer: Yes.
Businesses have the right to refuse service to anyone as long as they're not part of a protected class under the Civil Rights Act or the Americans with Disabilities Act. Protected classes include:
- Race or color
- National origin or citizenship status
- Religious beliefs
- Sex
- Age
- Veteran status
- Disability or pregnancy
- Sexual orientation
- Gender identity
But anything outside of this is fair game. You've probably seen signs at a business's door stating: "No shoes, no shirt, no service." This is one of the longest-standing examples of a business enforcing its own boundaries with customers.
Another popular one is fancy restaurants and venues that have dress codes.
And this question resurfaced during the pandemic when anti-maskers questioned the legality of businesses enforcing a mask mandate in their stores.
So yes, while unfortunate for our fire sign friends, zodiac sign-based discrimination to enter is perfectly legal. (It's murkier when done by an employer.)
Fake news debunked
First of all, there is no Zamboni club in New York. In fact the only businesses with the name Zamboni are two permanently closed delis and catering spots out in Long Beach (for non New Yorkers, that's no where near Manhattan).
Second, it's unclear who created the fake CNN Business article that seems to have spread like wildfire online, but when you take a closer look at the details all the signs are there.
The article, which to the person's credit was well photoshopped, was allegedly written by Anna Winter, which seems to be a play on the illustrious Anna Wintour of Vogue. And it was posted on April 1, aka April Fool's. While not all news that comes out on that date is fake, this one seems to be.
The Daily Dot also wasn't able to find the article from CNN or any other credible source online.
The Daily Dot reached out to @b.soul13 for comment via email and TikTok direct message.
