Is "Ladies' Night" gender discrimination?

This afternoon me and a female friend decided to go for a last round at a newly relaunched pub.
I (being a gay man) was very excited to see signs saying "Ladies' Night" on the windows.
Well it was more like "Ladies' Afternoon" (3-6 pm).
In any case, I was stopped at the door and told that no men were allowed.
This first flattered me slightly (oh, so I am the MAN), but I could see my friend really wanted to go inside.
So I tried to negotiate: "But I AM a lady", I protested.
Luckily, before I started the whole Gender Equality thing we saw that hardly anybody was there, and there were two very average topless "Muscle Maries" serving cocktails.
So we went next door, which was really pumping for a Sunday, and there were loads of gorgeous men.

While I like the idea of men's and ladies' evenings, I also find it very presumptive and uncomfortable.
Ironically I found that men's nights were more for me, because some hapless oaf always gets pulled onto the dance-floor by the female stripper, and gets stripped totally nude! Strippers, I've noticed, have very good taste.

I think that they should advertise men's and ladies' evenings, but it is up to you how to define yourself.
Most straight men would respect it, and not set foot there.
However, shallow markers like dress and hair no longer define gender - or at least they shouldn't.
If I feel that I'm a lady then I should be welcome!!!!

reply to post by halfoldman


Hm thats really strange. In New Orleans (where I'm from) there are lots of ladies nights and they usually drink free or get great deals. They only do this because twice the men come on ladies nights for obvious reasons (more women, more drunk women).

Its a genius idea. Seems like locking men out is a bad business practice.

Where are you?

Unless you enjoy partying at the sausage fest, this is a moot point.
Men are barbarians, they enjoy being in public with other men, flexing their muscles in front of other guys, showing each other who is best / bigger.
Women have no need for such barbarian games as their games of choice are on a psychological level.
We gotta get the hens in the barn somehow.

reply to post by g146541

We didn't stay too long, but the ladies were getting loud.
The goose was definitely on the loose.
Reminded me a bit of a British reality series where they try and turn "ladettes into ladies".
I would have been the only real "lady" there, had I stayed.

On a lighter note, I can definitely sympathize with Emily and Florence taking afternoon tea.
They would have found my "segregation" encounter most disturbing!
Little Britian - "I'm a Lady".


Emily's predicament at the public swimming pool.

reply to post by halfoldman


Clearly sexist but if these chicks were not half in the bag some fellows would never get a chance with them and so I don't think you are going to hear any "men" complaining about the inconsistency.

Your question is a very good one and I sincerely hope it becomes necessary to debate this issue. Considering the other hurdles gay men and women have to jump through first I have a feeling this one will be off the table for some time yet.

Nothing to stop straight men from saying they too are "ladies" and getting in for the drink discount.
One day there will be estrogen/testosterone meters at the doors to unequivocally decide whether an individual is traditionally (or mostly) male or female.

Short answer...

Yes...

Personally, as a man iv no problem with it. But.... If you were to switch the sexes in your story around there would be a ton of women telling you how bad that is. Men on the other hand, are afraid to play the sexism card as all you hear about is anti female sexism. True story.

Originally posted by TuXXXeR
Short answer...

Yes...

Personally, as a man iv no problem with it. But.... If you were to switch the sexes in your story around there would be a ton of women telling you how bad that is. Men on the other hand, are afraid to play the sexism card as all you hear about is anti female sexism. True story.

It's been years since I was at a ladies nite, but the idea behind them was to be to get the "ladies" as drunk as possible, in a couple of hours, with free or very cheap drinks. Then when the men came in, they (the men) were more likely to get lucky (laid).

Women don't need to get men drunk to make them easier

I'm sure if more men played harder to get, there would be men's nites too.

I don't think we should get too pissed about things like this. Like 'Mens vlubs' for example not allowing women in. Its just so that people can goto a place thats either women or men only for whatever reasons they want to do that.

One thing tho that pisses me of is this insurance company here in th UK called Sheelas Wheels who only allow women to drive because they are aparently safer drives even though statistics they use to justify this are only slightly in favour of this. Thats basically saying that because your a man we wont insure you as your more dangerous. I can assure you if a men only company here tried to do the same thing it would never be allowed to go ahead by feminist activists, however they don't seem to care when the shoes on the other foot.

reply to post by TuXXXeR

All true.

However, on the other hand where should non-segregation stop?
Surely most people agree with gender-segregated toilets, saunas (unless you're in Scandinavia or a nudist colony), lockers and showers (prisons, army barracks and so forth).
So gender-divides (based on shaky observations) are still a widespread social reality.
Nevertheless, if I was rich or nasty enough to take this to our equality court, the bar would probably lose the case.

reply to post by halfoldman


Well. at the moment gender segregation should only come into play where it actually concerns gender. Like, as you said toilets, showers. Anything to do with sex. But I don't see what certain times of the day in bars and clubs have to with gender.

We're all human.

Some are men and some are woman.

So the only difference between us is sex.

I think it's been said that in 100 years (if we make it ) gender won't be an issue at all. We know where we're going but not how to get there. Heheh...

reply to post by snowspirit

Women don't need to get men drunk to make them easier

I'm not so sure that's true?
In any case, I think the bar ran at a loss, and most people (male and female) ended up next door.
This makes me think they have one owner, and he knew that men would gather for the ladies across the thresh-hold.
The whole concept seems so primal.
I do think women like to cut loose and have their own spaces.
But ultimately it seems that only men get permanent strip-clubs, and women don't fire that visually.
I think for ladies getting pissed like that is almost political, and they don't seem really interested in the male strippers themselves. On a man's night, (or nowadays a strip club) the guys are literally glued to the female bodies.

reply to post by TuXXXeR

Good point!

Some are men and some are woman. So the only difference between us is sex.

Interesting, just when I thought sex was the only thing heterosexual men and women had in common.

reply to post by halfoldman


Nope. It's being humans.

Whats draws two together, sets them apart and lays them both down.? Sex.

Originally posted by halfoldman
reply to post by snowspirit

 

Women don't need to get men drunk to make them easier

I'm not so sure that's true?

Cultural differences in countries maybe? Here, men are definitely too easy, if a woman is good looking. Getting lucky is often the only thing on some of their minds, and that isn't being sexist, they admit it freely...and are quite proud of it. At certain ages they're walking hormones, starting in their teen years and ending at age ...? lol...

In any case, I think the bar ran at a loss, and most people (male and female) ended up next door.
This makes me think they have one owner, and he knew that men would gather for the ladies across the thresh-hold.
The whole concept seems so primal.

That makes good business sense, and yes, very primal. Sex sure sells.

I do think women like to cut loose and have their own spaces.
But ultimately it seems that only men get permanent strip-clubs, and women don't fire that visually.
I think for ladies getting pissed like that is almost political, and they don't seem really interested in the male strippers themselves. On a man's night, (or nowadays a strip club) the guys are literally glued to the female bodies.

True, I remember when I went to the odd ladies nite, the free or cheap drinks were the only reason, just to let loose. Most of the women didn't pay much attention to the strippers. They set the "mood", but many women are of the thought "seen one, seen them all" when it comes to men's "parts".

Although, I have seen some men in strip clubs make women strippers quite angry when they tell them to move out of the way of the TV in the bar, if there is football or hockey playing
I think there may be some hope for them yet.....

reply to post by snowspirit

What, men tell strippers to move so they can see the TV?
Wow, that is different!

Doubtlessly Ladies Night is segregation.
It sucks walking into it with a female friend.
However, is it justified discrimination?
I believe justified segregation and discrimination is possible.

One thing I must say however - this was a Sunday.

If I walked into a church and I was barred for whatever reason one would never hear the end of it.
So I think religion often gets slammed, when the same logic is going on everywhere.

As a straight, single male, I love ladies night. It's usually the night when ladies come out by the flocks and, since ladies night means cheap drinks and no cover for them, get hammered. This, by default, makes me look relatively much sexier. These are the nights in which I can just chill and girls do the approaching/hitting on.

I don't know about ladies nights but me and my female friends used to love our own 'girly nights'. No agenda going on, no guys hitting on you. Women on their own, can be a lot 'franker' than guys and we didn't have to worry about treading on male sensibilities.
Nothing wrong with it. There are clubs, societies and social events out there for a multiplicity of different ages, genders, interests... Plenty to go round. Anyone upset by the notion should take a chill pill. There are more important things to obsess about.