Colorado regulators say a well-known Denver gay bar discriminated against a gay man last year by denying him entry while dressed in drag, also finding the bar has a history of discriminating against women and effeminate men.

The ruling from the Civil Rights Division at the state’s Department of Regulatory Agencies adds some weight to the balance scales between anti-discrimination and liquor laws that bar owners must consider for screening patrons.

“It is a really nuanced, interesting case,” said Pete Meersman, president and CEO of the Colorado Restaurant Association. “It seems to me that you are between a rock and a hard place.”

An investigation by DORA’s division of civil rights found the bar violated Vito Marzano’s right to public accommodations on Aug. 31, 2013, when it turned him away because of his appearance, according to the document.

“The law is new and developing. I think you will see more cases that are consistent with this ruling,” said Darold Killmer, a Denver-based civil rights lawyer. “I think this was a courageous decision, but a correct decision by the Civil Rights Division.”

DORA is ordering The Wrangler, a high-profile uptown gay bar, to go through mediation with Marzano, according to the document obtained by The Denver Post on Monday.

Marzano, 27, showed up at the bar wearing a dress, a wig, makeup and high heels after attending a drag show. The bouncer refused to let him in, saying he could not verify that Marzano’s identity matched his identification card.

The bar claims its employees have a responsibility to not serve alcohol to people under 21 and must apply a strict identification process to do so.

Chris Dawkins, owner of The Wrangler, said several facts cited in DORA’s ruling are false.

“Their opinion has a lot of errors in it,” Dawkins said. “I mean, it says we don’t serve to women. There are women in all the time. Women love my bar.”

He goes on to highlight how rigid liquor laws are, noting The Wrangler recently had to pay a fine because “we messed up” and served alcohol to an underage person in 2012.

DORA’s investigation, which included interviews and research into the bar’s policy history, found that The Wrangler is known as a “bear bar” that prides itself on being a popular watering hole for gay men displaying hypermasculine characteristics.

Steven Chavez, director of the Civil Rights Division, focused heavily on the bar’s dress code policy in his written opinion.

“At face value, the (bar’s) policies appear legitimate and nondiscriminatory,” Chavez wrote. “However, the evidence indicates that the (bar) uses its policies to select patrons whose appearance is masculine, whether or not they are male or female, for entry into its club.”

Marzano’s case gained public support when he launched an online boycott campaign last year, which The Post reported.

“For me, what I am taking from this is the vindication that Wrangler was wrong and does use its policies to discriminate against individuals,” Marzano said.

Meersman said his organization did not advise The Wrangler on how to handle their age verification process, but said this ruling may cause him to re-evaluate industry practices.