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WINOOSKI - Vermont's first gay bar in over a decade welcomed a steady stream of customers when it opened its doors Friday night, despite sparking controversy over the establishment's new name. He added he was proud to be able to offer that place to the community and said the bar means "everything" to him. He declined to comment further on the controversy regarding the name.

Some have criticized the choice because they see the term as a slur against the transgender community. LGBT group says Winooski gay bar should choose new name. The Pride Center of Vermont held a "trans town hall" to hear from the transgender community last week.

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After the meeting, the center issued a statement rebuking the name and calling it "hate speech. Last month, after the bar's name was announced, Burlington resident Wiley Reading, who identifies as a transgender man, told the Burlington Free Press the phrase historically has been used to denigrate transgender women.

Several patrons at the bar Friday said the controversy didn't dampen their excitement. He said the establishment's name didn't bother him. His friend Craig Hilliard agreed, saying the positives of having a community spot outweighed the negatives. Two Pride Center board members resign over gay bar name. Lynn Vera, from South Burlington, said she's always thought of Mister Sister as a friendly gay male way of talking about drag queens.

She said she had been educated this week. She urged unity, rather than a boycott, adding that she hoped there could be a process where the community could work together. She said she hoped the bar could bring older members of the community together with a newer generation of activists. Contact Jess Aloe at or jaloe freepressmedia.