Conservative Banned For Being Conservative??
A former conservative journalist has claimed she was expelled from one of New York City’s most exclusive clubs, Zero Bond, due to her political views following a contentious Father’s Day post.
Caitlin Sinclair, who previously worked as an on-air reporter for OANN, expressed her heartbreak on Wednesday when she learned from Zero Bond’s membership manager and former friend, Duncan Menaker, that her membership was terminated.
“They literally said, ‘We’re kicking you out because of your politics,'” Sinclair told the New York Post. This announcement came just days after Sinclair posted a photo on Instagram holding a sign that read, “You are here because your dad’s not queer.” Sinclair, 28, shared that Menaker initially emailed her on Wednesday, requesting she refrain from using the club due to the Father’s Day post. Later, he called to inform her that her $3,850 annual membership was canceled.
“A lot of your beliefs do not align with Zero Bond,” Menaker reportedly told her. “He said I offended their members,” Sinclair recounted. “You know what? Their members offend me.”
She elaborated that several club members are staunch Trump opponents. “I was simply stating a fact. We cannot be born without a man and a woman,” Sinclair argued, defending her post. “I’m not saying I don’t support LGBTQ+. I have trans and gay friends – I never said anything offensive,” she added, mentioning her friendship with Caitlyn Jenner.
Sinclair is now contemplating legal action against the NoHo establishment, alleging “100 percent discrimination.” She questioned why other Zero Bond members could attend pro-Hamas rallies, participate in drag queen story hours, and celebrate Trump’s convictions without violating club policies, while her actions were penalized. She remarked that many members despise Trump and protested in front of the courthouse.
Sinclair’s remarks did not identify specific members, but Zero Bond is known for attracting celebrities like Taylor Swift, Jared Leto, Megan Fox, and Machine Gun Kelly, as well as New York City Mayor Eric Adams. Sinclair lamented that many club-goers were her friends and felt she was being ostracized from her community. “I paid the money to go to a safe space,” she said. “If I went to the club wearing a MAGA hat or holding that sign [from the controversial post] that’s different,” she continued. “But I never once brought my politics inside the club – that was my personal account that I posted on.”
Before pursuing legal action, Sinclair appealed to club founder Scott Sartiano, asking him to reinstate her membership and help bridge the divide among New Yorkers and Americans. However, a club insider suggested Sinclair was overplaying her distress and accused her of seeking attention. “She obviously is doing this to try and get famous,” the insider told the Post. They pointed out that Zero Bond was aware of her political affiliations when she joined and that the club includes many Republican members, disputing the notion that it is anti-conservative. “For her to make this a political issue as opposed to admitting how disgusting her homophobic comment was is an embarrassment,” the insider added.
Sinclair acknowledged that Sartiano had previously assured her that her beliefs were welcome, saying, “We need diversity at the club, so we’re glad you’re here.” Nonetheless, club leadership has no intention of reinstating her membership. In a statement to the Post, they clarified, “We stand by our decision to revoke Caitlin’s membership as a result of her public, homophobic Instagram post and not because of her political affiliation. It’s also come to our attention that Ms. Sinclair is attempting to exploit our club’s esteemed reputation for personal gain. Other than this, her baseless claims do not deserve any further comment.”
Sinclair’s situation highlights the tensions between personal beliefs and community standards in exclusive social settings, raising questions about the balance between free expression and maintaining an inclusive environment.
