West Hollywood lesbian bar SweetWater canceled a meet-and-greet event for Republican city council candidate Tanya Tsikanovsky after approximately one hour due to backlash from patrons.

Tsikanovsky, who identifies as a lesbian and a Zionist, had booked the event at the nightclub hoping to connect with voters in the liberal enclave. She stated that she does not blame the bar's owner, Berni Gambino, for canceling the appearance.

"The lesbian community just kicked me out of its lesbian bar," Tsikanovsky wrote on Instagram. "I literally cannot make this up. I AM THE POSTER CHILD FOR LESBIANS. Your exclusion is not just hypocritical, it is insane! What happened to Weho being inclusive of everyone???"

Patrons expressed strong opposition to Tsikanovsky's presence on the bar's social media posts. Comments included criticisms such as "A MAGA lesbian meetup? Cool. Never coming back here" and "SweetWater is platforming this violently racist Islamophobe, genocide supporting REPUBLICAN."

Gambino stated that the backlash surprised her, and she felt she needed to listen to the community. "They indicated if I aligned with her belief that they would not feel safe at my space. Sweetwater is a place of inclusivity and safety," Gambino told Fox 11. She added, "I don’t agree with her. I don’t agree with her political beliefs. I am on the complete opposite end of the spectrum. However, how do we create a dialogue where everybody can be heard?"

Gambino, a retired Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department sergeant, opened SweetWater in June, aiming to create a space inclusive of everyone, particularly within a city known more as a hub for gay men.

Tsikanovsky, who announced her candidacy in June with public safety as a priority, stated she was a lifelong Democrat and worked for Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign. However, she said the October 7th attacks in 2023 prompted her to reassess her political stance.

Fellow city council candidate Kody Christiansen expressed dismay over the situation, noting that while he disagrees with Tsikanovsky on many issues, he considers her a friend and believes she has "genuinely good ideas for West Hollywood."