Sydney’s Kickin’ Inn restaurant kicked by trolls for Mardi Gras collaboration
Sydney’s Kickin’ Inn restaurant has been attacked by trolls after it announced a Mardi Gras collaboration with a drag queen.
Last week, Kickin’ Inn announced a paid social media partnership with Sydney drag queen Carla from Bankstown, as a collaboration to mark Mardi Gras.
The collaboration will brand Carla as the ‘Kickin Inn Kween of Mardi Gras.’
The collaboration was part of a free drink promotion over Mardi Gras weekend where $1 from every shrimp martini was donated to LGBTIQA+ charity Twenty 10.
Instagram trolls responded quickly once Carla, also known as Ben James, posted about the collaboration on Instagram.
One troll commented “there is nothing family friendly about confused adults that promote filth”.
Another labelled the collab as “disgusting”.
“You guys just lost a few customers because of this post,” said another.
Carla responded by posting an image of themself drinking cocktails, saying: “This is me, living my best life, my most authentic life, the life I’m born to live, not giving a single f*** about what you gronks say about me.”
Kickin’ Inn also released a statement saying, “At Kickin’ Inn celebrating equality is important for us 365 days of the year and this Mardi Gras weekend, in particular, we stand in solidarity with the LGBTIQA+ community.”
“It has been disappointing to see a small number of people write some very unkind, untrue and un-Australian things about Carla and the LGBTIQA community.”
Carla spoke to Kitchen Confidential, saying it was important to call out the trolls on behalf of the LGBTQIA+ community.
“It’s 2022 and I think people need to be held accountable for spreading that kind of hate around,” they said. “If you have something mean to say, it’s better not to say it at all.”
Irit Jackson, 8th March 2022
