DETROIT (WWJ) -- An Iconic long-time gay bar in Detroit is being sued by a photographer over a shirtless photo.
Menjo's Entertainment Complex in Detroit's Palmer Park is accused of unlawfully posting a photo of a shirtless male model wearing what appears to be an army hat and pants on its Facebook page in 2017 to promote "Military Might Night.... Shot ration specials all night! Get locked in the Brig. Military Attire Encouraged."
The man in the photo, which was taken on June 26, 2013, is JR Bronson, a male model.
The Detroit Free Press reports that the California man who took the picture - Michael Stokes - is suing for copyright infringement. Stokes says he doesn't want to be associated with the event - and its shots specials - which might offend those in the military.
According to U.S. District Court Records, accessed by the Free Press, the gay nightclub got sued in federal court Tuesday.
"The advertisement created by the defendant not only exploits an American service uniform for liquor sales but also implies patriotism and a celebration of country," the lawsuit states.
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In the copyright infringement lawsuit, Stokes alleges Menjos harmed his reputation as an internationally acclaimed artist who captures images of wounded veterans and the male form.
According to the lawsuit, the photo was registered with the U.S. Copyright Office in 2015, which makes it unlawful for anyone to use without permission, but five years later, the photographer saw Menjos' Facebook post, which triggered the lawsuit.
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