Losing Our Traditions: ''Ladies Night Under Threat''

[DeSwiss]

'Ladies' Night' Lawsuits on the Rocks?
The Age-Old Tradition Is Threatened by Lawsuits Nationwide


Lawyers across the country are targetting bars and nightclubs that offer
'Ladies' Night' drink and admission discounts to women, claiming that they
are unlawful discrimination against men. (PhotoDisc)

By BRITTANY BACON
July 25, 2007

Lawsuits could be putting "Ladies' Nights" at bars and clubs across the country on the rocks. In about two dozen cases, plaintiffs contend these drink and admission deals for women constitute discrimination against men and should be banned. Roy Den Hollander is a New York lawyer who says Ladies' Night drinks and admission specials are unconstitutional, and he says he's suffered personally.

Hollander is also a graduate of Columbia Business School and seems like a guy who should be able to get into a decent bar and afford the drinks. So what irks him? "I'm tired of having my rights violated and being treated as a second-class citizen," said Hollander, who is seeking class-action status for his suit in federal court.

Tim Gleason, general manager of the China Club in New York, calls Hollander's complaint "pathetic" and echoes other club owners who argue that the discounts actually help both sexes by balancing out the ratio between men and women. Nevermind that some men are more than happy to pay for inequality in the ratio department.

Over the last 30 years, lawsuits stemming from promotions involving Ladies' Night have enjoyed considerable success in courts across the country where judges have held that single-sex discounts violate state and federal statutes guaranteeing equal protection under the law.

http://abcnews.go.com/TheLaw/story?id=3412561&page=1

*** - He's suffered personally? A New York lawyer? Hmmm.... Okay, everyone who thinks Roy Hollander is just pissed off cause he couldn't get one of those ladies drunk enough to follow his lame-ass home, raise your hand.

What a loser. What a putz....

Okay, how bout' "Anyone Who Wears A Dress Discount Drink Night?" Roy, I think you'd look nice in something strapless. And please, get a pedicure before wearing any sandals....

[quiet.american]

1. I have to agree with the China Club manager on this one -- pathetic. n/t

[blogslut]

2. While I think the lawyer is an idiot

I have never been fond of "Ladies Night" crap. It isn't about appreciating women. It's about getting women drunk and the idea that drunk women attract male patrons.

[Bassic]

48. Bingo

That is exactly the reason. More women + more men = more money. Can't blame them I guess, but it is not done out of noble sentiment towards women.


Edited to avoid confusion.
Second edit: For the record, I think this lawsuit is fucking stupid.

[Warpy]

3. Wow, talk about missing the POINT

Ladies Night is meant to draw women to a bar and that, in turn, is meant to draw more MALE patrons. I mean, what a great draw, women who are DRINKING and are drinking a lot because the drinks are cheap!

You're right, of course, this lawsuit is by a whining little pantywaist who couldn't get laid with a fist full of hundred dollar bills at the Mustang Ranch.

[Tesha]

5. Apparently, some people here don't understand what it means to be non-discriminatory.

Apparently, some people here don't understand what it means
to be non-discriminatory.

Here's a thought to chew on:

"White night" where the drinks are cheaper if you happen to
be the race that the bar wants to attract.

Tesha

[Throwing Stones]

14. Good Point

But since SCOTUS recently opined that it's okay to pay women less, shouldn't we at least give women discounted booze?

[rkc3]

23. If women hadn't eaten from the Tree of Knowledge in Eden -

you wouldn't have this problem.

God's first punishment - You'll make 75 cents for every dollar a man makes.

You really should read the Bible. Lots of good stuff in there.

[MindPilot]

26. You might want to throw in the little :sarcasm: thingy

There are those around here who will think you're serious.

I'm just sayin'

[BlooInBloo]

34. Who cares what idiots think?

[Warpy]

15. Here's something else to chew on

Institutionalized discrimination means reducing opportunities and remuneration based on sex, race, religion, or other classification.

Ladies Night is a stupid promotion, trying to get bodies into the bar on a slow night, usually a Tuesday.

That whiny assed lawyer needs to grow up.

[MindPilot]

18. I believe it was a Richard Pryor bit from the '70s

He talked about that very thing and I still recall the line "...and Thursday night's Honkey night; bring yosef a honkey an' get yo ass in free!"

[Oeditpus Rex]

45. That was Cheech and Chong

I think the bit was "Unamerican Bandstand." The character was Right-On Washington.

"Tuesday night is Hot Pants Night, Wednesday night is Chitlin' Night and Thursday night is Honky Night, right on, right on. Bring yaself a honky, getcher ass in free. Hey. Right on. Make the honky pay for it, you dig?"

:D

[A HERETIC I AM]

49. "And now a hit from Otis Elevator singin' 'Baby I get my ups and downs'"

Well remembered!

[MindPilot]

51. Thank you for the correction!!

I forget things sometimes...must've been that joint I smoked in '68.:smoke:

[LanternWaste]

25. Singles night, too?

Singles night, too? :shrug:

[Tesha]

32. Anything that is a "protected class".

Anything that is a "protected class".

And yes, right now, IIRC, that means:

* Race
* Ethnicity
* Religion or sect
* Color
* National origin
* Age (40 and over)
* Sex
* Familial status (in some cases)
* Disability status
* Veteran status
* Political affiliation

And, in some places:

* Sexual orientation

Tesha

[Xithras]

43. Interesting. Does that mean senior and veteran discounts are illegal?

After all, they "discriminate" based on a persons military history status and their age.

[Tesha]

47. It's possible. You never really know until something's litigated ;-). (NT)

[sandnsea]

46. Or receive benefits

based on sex or race. Seems to me it's an exercise in creating a more diverse population in the bar.

[cynatnite]

19. My thinking, too...

my girlfriends and I loved ladies night. It meant cheap drinks and MEN. I can't count the times....oh, nevermind. :)

[JVS]

37. that was all started in an era when women were "not supposed" to drink as an...

encouragement to get them out and get them to drink. I don't see ladies night at any bars in my college town because the females are just as big a bunch of drunks as the guys, they'll pay full price.

[Rageneau]

4. And I'm suing to get a job as a nude pole dancer.

But the owner of the club keeps discriminating against me on the basis of age and gender, among other things.

God invented sex discrimination when he made one gender perpetually horny and the other situationally horny.

[DeSwiss]

7. LOL!

Maybe you just need to spruce up your resume'?

[Clark2008]

8. My husband would differ with that assessment.

Unless you just don't happen to know any women in their 30s. :evilgrin:

[Sapere aude]

13. Maybe you should try a gay club. They may discriminate against women though.

[shain from kane]

6. This week's lost my pair of pants lawsuit.

[DeSwiss]

12. Good point.

And I wonder just how much he's really "suffered."

Maybe he's just a misogynist? Or, just can't get a date? Lives at home in his mother's basement?

:shrug:

[trof]

9. What ever happened to "Unescorted ladies will not be seated."?

We've turned into animals.

[blogslut]

27. Now hold on there pardner

Surely you're not saying an adult woman should only be allowed in a drinking establishment only under the condition that she is escorted by a male? We have the vote now, ya know.

[DS1]

10. *raises hand*

:hi:

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

11. Probably hopes he'll get his mug on Glenn BecKKK or Hannity and Colmes

Idiot.

[MindPilot]

16. It doesn't discriminate against men as much as it exploits women.

Another example...

On a recent trip to Las Vegas, the SO and I stayed at the Stratosphere. They have two pools, one is the regular hotel pool, and the other called "Club-25" is adults only. I'm thinking "neat, a pool with no screaming rowdy peeing-in-the-water kids; can it get any better?"

Well, yes it can. It's also "european-style bathing" which means...topless!!

BUT, while ladies are not charged, gentlemen have to pay $10. It's obvious why they would do that, although I can think of several better ways to keep the oglers' numbers down than blatant monetary discrimination.

But it also seemed kind of exploitive toward the women because basically the hotel is charging men to look at titties they don't have to pay for.

[AX10]

21. Anything Las Vegas is "slumming" it.

[iamahaingttta]

17. Could this be the guy?

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=93824748

He's got a lot of hotties on his MySpace page.
And he probably hasn't f*cked one of them!

Loser...

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

22. Mid-life crisis, dude......

He must think he's Bullworth or something......

[DeSwiss]

28. This splains everything.....

[WinkyDink]

20. Can "Senior Citizen Discount" be far behind?!

[MindPilot]

24. Yeah or the military discount

just because I'm a chickenhawk too busy fighting the "war of ideas" at the college republics convention to serve my country doesn't mean I should have to pay full price at the movies.

The PX Discriminates Against Civilians!!

[SoCalDem]

29. In other news: Father Time is suing also..

Claims that the hours "6" & "7" get special treatment, lower alcohol prices, and even get labeled as "Happy Hours", thereby reducing all other hours as UNhappy hours.

[Swamp Rat]

30. What about the objectification of women in general in order to sell a toxic substance?

What about "family values?"

Are the lawyers even bothering to look at the more serious aspect of this case, and it's profound social implications?

:eyes:

[Sparkly]

31. "The War on Ladies' Night"

Christmas, Easter, and now Ladies' Night.

We all knew this was inevitable.

[Berry Cool]

33. Know who I feel sorriest for?

Whoever has to break the bad news to Kool & the Gang.

It won't go down well.

[Sparkly]

39. lol!!

:rofl:

[BlooInBloo]

35. Poor, poor persecuted men. Damn reverse-sexism.

[Patsy Stone]

36. Phew

It's just an idiot talking.

I thought they were out of Jagermeister or something. Now THAT would been a real threat.

[malakai2]

38. Cracks about his looks and presumbed inability to get laid aside

Him saying he's suffered injury is lawyerspeak for "Why yes, your Honor, I have standing in this case." I guess he could also be standing up for the principle of equal protection...as the article says, many courts have found Ladies' Night violates equal protection statutes. Unless of course him being a man or rich or white somehow negates equal protection, because as we all know, all men are assholes, all rich people deserve to pay more, and all white people need to go pick cotton for ten to twenty just so we're even again.

Ignoring that for a minute, what was the basis of Ladies' Night to begin with? To bring women to the bar, for the sake of balancing out the typical bar sex ratio? I've been in a fair number of bars, college towns to big cities to absolutely abysmal small towns in the middle of nowhere...in my experience, college towns don't need Ladies' Night, plenty of drunks Sunday through Saturday; big city bars tend not to need Ladies' Night, unless they are real dives, like Moe's Tavern, in which case women might be better served to stay away; and the sex ratio of single people between the ages of 18 and 35 in those abysmal small towns in the middle of nowhere is so lopsided that bars would need to import women and NOT advertise to have any hope of evening things out. To generate more income on what would otherwise be a dead night? How about Poker Night (men might misinterpret that one and show up in droves), extend happy hour, half price domestics, live music, or any of the thousands of other things bars can do to generate traffic? To strike back against a paternalistic society that kept women down for too long, sort of a "Next on our list after suffrage, Ladies' Night!"? Please.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

40. So why don't they have a "Men's Night"?

Would it be such a bad thing?

[malakai2]

41. Oh, but that would be sexist

After all, every other night of the week is Men's Night. At least that's what it feels like when I'm at the local bars. Truly knobby, knobby places, both of them.

But really though, the picture at the top made me think of this, from the Onion:. What purpose does Ladies' Night serve?

[Xithras]

42. Many clubs do...

Here in California these kinds of suits made the rounds about a decade ago. Most of the clubs and bars that were around back then started offering something along the lines of "Mens Night" to equalize it and avoid just these sorts of suits. I've only ever been to one bar on mens night, and I'd guess that the crowd was half gay, half straight, and the few women who did show up were hunted like lambs at a wolf convention. It wasn't a pretty sight.

On weekdays, when most Ladies Nights are held, most clubs are dominated by men. I tend to agree with the bar owner that Ladies Night isn't about discrimination, but about encouraging an under-represented group to attend in greater numbers. From that perspective, ladies night is basically an affirmative action program...the barriers of entry are lowered to encourage a minority to participate.

[shadowknows69]

44. What a loss to the date rapers of america

[northzax]

50. Anyone in a dress night?

Perfectly acceptable. Redhead night? Fine (anyone can dye their hair red or put on a wig, if they so choose) Even identifying by workplace or career is fine, but sex is a protected class, and you cannot discriminate on the basis of it. Sure, this seems absurd, but do you really want the law written so that judges can decide what is absurd and what isn't? Bush judges?

and by saying he was injured, he is making a legal case, that he was forced to pay more for an identical itemThan someone else, based solely on sex. He needs to do that in Order to sue.