Colegialas Bar in Woodside, NY

On March 21, 2011, I wrote to my local congressman, Joseph Crowley regarding a bar named Colegialas Bar located at 68-12 Woodside Avenue here in Queens.

Sign in Front of the bar

I wrote:

I'd like to find out whom to contact in reference to an inappropriate sign for a new bar off the South Eastern corner of 69th Street and Woodside Avenue named ‘Colegialas’.  The name of the bar translates into English as Schoolgirls, but the picture on the front of the storefront depicts a scantily clad young woman in a schoolgirl's uniform accessorized with fishnet stockings and garter belts.  The word 'Colegialas' also seems to be a code word in the Mexican community for naughty schoolgirls when searched on the Internet.  All the links, which come up, are pornographic in nature, which makes sense considering the picture on the sign.

P.S. 12 James B. Colgate School is located at 42-00 72 Street Woodside, NY, which is about 3 blocks away from this location.  It is a disgrace that actual schoolgirls wanting to get an education to better themselves need to pass this sign in order to get to school.  It not only sends a negative message to young girls in general, but the garter belts and revealing outfit the model is wearing borders on not only distasteful, but of vicariously living out pedophilic fantasies.  It is more than evident that this sign is meant to titillate older men fantasizing about schoolgirls.  Having an elementary school nearby does nothing good for the community, but to send the message that our young girls should be complacent to sexual harassment, statutory rape, and that they should aspire to nothing more than emulating the model on the awning to be treated strictly as sexual objects for the gratification of old Latin men.

If this is not an issue you would be concerned with, I would gladly appreciate a response from your offices in order to redirect me to someone who would be able to assist me.  As an intelligent fully bilingual Latin woman, this type of sign disgusts me.  The mere thought that it would go under the radar simply because the sign is in Spanish or because of its location does not excuse its content, intent, or the damaging effect on our community.

Sincerely,

DweamGoiL

So now several weeks later guess what happened? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.  What a surprise!!!

It is truly disturbing that this operation displays the following picture front and center:

and absolutely no one cares that at least a few hundred school children pass by this sign every single day on their way to  and from school.  The fact that this young woman doesn't even have a belly button because she's been airbrushed to portray the perfect little 'piece of meat' is truly disturbing.  What kind of message does this send our children? Now, this sign is nowhere near my own child's school or my home, but it enrages and offends me to my very core that this sign is showcased near my neighborhood by ever so subtly being lit up at night....come on!

Now, I wasn't expecting a miracle here, but for one of the Congressman's aides to have written back or may I be as silly as to aspire to an actual phone call? And, to have referred me to someone who can actually help me would've been nice as well, but I guess that's just way too much to expect from someone who expects to keep my vote!

Now don't get me wrong, I get that this is a 'titty bar', but most other strip clubs have signs which are a little more discreet, overall tasteful, and not so brazenly misogynistic.

and the list goes on and on.  So WHY in the world does this place have to be so particularly  crude and sleazy?

As far as I can see the proprietors of this establishment have this to say to our neighborhood: