Albany Law Professor Stephen Clark has taken on case with truly heroic dimensions. Clark has challenged the decision of Alamo Drafthouse to hold showings of the movie Wonder Woman in a female-only event. Clark, 48, has said that as a gay man he is sympathetic with efforts to help disadvantaged groups, but he viewed the event as per se unlawful.
Austin’s code bars gender discrimination and Clark filed an administrative charge with the city’s Equal Employment and Fair Housing Office. Not only did the events bar male customers but it also promised to staff only women at the event — discriminating against male employees.
Clark said that he was motivated in part after reading the dismissive and even mocking tone of the theater in response to the objections from men. The theater posted this statement:
“Apologies, gentlemen, but we’re embracing our girl power and saying ‘No Guys Allowed’ for one special night at the Alamo Ritz. And when we say ‘People Who Identify As Women Only,’ we mean it . . . Everyone working at this screening — venue staff, projectionist, and culinary team — will be female.”
Morgan Hendrix, the creative manager of Alamo Drafthouse, was equally unresponsive to the complaints, stating “We are very excited to present select, women-only WONDER WOMAN screenings at Alamo Drafthouse. That providing an experience where women truly reign supreme has incurred the wrath of trolls only serves to deepen our belief that we’re doing something right.”
Referring to objectors as “trolls” is rather dismissive. On its face, this is gender discrimination. It is doubtful that many supporters would take an equally dismissive view of barring women from some sporting events or other movies. The controversy captures a long-standing debate on this blog where discrimination or segregation is being embraced in the name of diversity or “safe spaces.”
What do you think?
Unbelievable. So many who think themselves experts on discrimination.
I am happy for them.
What is wrong with you that you have a problem with this?
The fact that the women-only screening was so popular says a lot about what crap they have to deal with from all of you.
Stop being so butthurt.
There is no difference between this BS and a Christian owned bakery refusing to prepare a wedding cake for a gay couple. Discrimination by a public business is discrimination, no matter who it is aimed at. As a leftist, it pains me that these idiots have no idea how much damage they are doing to there own cause.
But since WW is a just another vapid, mindless superhero film, it isn’t surprising that anyone over the age of 18 who is excited to go see it is a moron.
I think this is Sullivan nonsense.
There are important things to discuss such as why the sea is boiling hot and whether pigs have wings.
The Women’s Liberation Movement will have to move on.
The National Baseball League will have female pitchers but not catchers.
The American Baseball League will have female umpires.
The Boy Scouts will have to admit girls and the Girl Scouts will have to admit boys. Bent boys too.
The Gay Rights Movement will have to admit straight people.
The Knights of Columbus will have to be Days of Columbus Too.
Anderson Cooper will have to get a wife.
Well, simply reverse the genders on this “Girls Night Only” exclusion of men from the screening.
See if the sensibilities come back the same.
“One night screening of Superman. On men are allowed to attend this theatre screening. If you are a woman, you will not be allowed to be admitted into the theatre.”
There would be riots in the streets.
My first instinct of course is that a private theatre should be able to exclude anyone they want, but given the laws on discrimination for places of public assembly, this is clearly illegal.
There would be riots in the streets.
Of course there would be. Whose fault is that?
but given the laws on discrimination for places of public assembly, this is clearly illegal.
I would say, given the way lawfare works today, someone will be looking for an excuse to claim their rights are being infringed, despite the fact they have no infringement of opportunity to find a different venue. The only real harm is to their ego, because they weren’t invited to this particular party.
This $hit needs to stop!
I don’t plan on seeing this movie until it is free on Showtime or HBO. I am already gagging over the lesbianation in the Supergirl TV series, where it is almost like “My Lesbian Love” or something. Probably tuning it out next season. (On the good side, Sense8 got canned on Netflix.) Anyway, I digress.
Sooo, does whether this professor is a top or a bottom figure into this at all? Because, if he is the “passive” homosexual in his relationships, that would qualify him as a “woman” in many cultures.
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
Good God. The youth of America are pathetic little trolls. Are they unaware that Wonder Woman was *created* by men? I’m forming a spanking squad to deliver the hide chappings these kids never got from their parents, then I am taking away their phones and sending them to a third world country to volunteer for a year. They will receive no ‘momdad’ subsidization during this time. Just pathetic. They can bite me.
James – they have move the action from WWII to WWI and they the sucked the color out of Wonder Woman’s costume so they can get more play internationally. I also heard they are downplaying her boyfriend from the comic book. It’s a chic flic.
I agree being the father of a teenager. However if a student like a graduate of high school doesn’t immediately enroll and stay in college or university they will be neglected by those institutions regarding entry back into those schools. We need a national service initiative to give these “little Trolls” a permanently held spot into post secondary education. i know, there’s a version of it already called the US Military. Something civilian would be quite a soul infrastructure rebuilding project. I think kids get burned out easily these days and a year or two off from studies would be great. Accept everyone via a draft and off they go. None of this my dad knows somebody preferential treatment crap.
Anyway got your point.
You using Good God and Bite Me hilariously reminds me of some guys I used to work with.
The statutory mandate is quite clear and the theater will not prevail in contesting this complaint. If a place of accommodation is open to the general public it must comply with anti-discrimination statutes. The gender of the “actors” is immaterial with regard to whom each of the parties is.
The statutory mandate is quite clear
Ha ha ha. The clarity will disappear if the class of people who make up the appellate judiciary want it to disappear.
Exactly. Is this a business that refuses to serve anyone? I doubt the Alamo Drafthouse has any history of discrimination.They are having a one night only airing of a movie for a specific audience. I would ask Mr. Clark if he has ever been denied service in that bar. If he hasn’t ever been to the bar previously, then I would question why this particular night must be the one night he chooses to attend. If he had been there on other occasions without complaint, then clearly this bar does not have ill motives for this Ladie’s Night.
I would say the intent of the statute is as important as the language itself. After all, haven’t we learned over this past year that intent is a mitigating factor?
This is slightly off topic but the underlying principle addresses this issue. Our western culture has devolved into moral relativism for the sake of tolerance and inclusivity. Moral fluidity doesn’t work without something to contain the fluid. That means there must some absolutes. Natural rights gives us those absolutes and a way to identify actual harm.
The fact is, many thousands of Muslims in Britain, as well as Muslims throughout Europe, do not share what Prime Minister May and Mayor Khan and the rest of the political elite consider to be universal western values. It is uncomfortable, even embarrassing, to admit to ourselves that a great many Muslims in Britain and Europe do not much care for the West as such. Things like gay rights and women’s equality and free speech and the rule of law simply do not demand their respect. They do not cherish western culture or seek to preserve western traditions. Their allegiances lie elsewhere.
It is even more embarrassing to admit that we westerners do not much care for these things ourselves anymore—at least not enough to demand that our fellow countrymen, regardless of religion and creed, adopt them and teach their children to revere them. Until we start demanding that kind of unity, Muslim extremists will have room to breathe in the West.
http://thefederalist.com/2017/06/06/london-attack-indicates-time-stop-pretending-western-values-universal/?utm_source=The+Federalist+List&utm_campaign=6225a9bfb8-RSS_The_Federalist_Daily_Updates_w_Transom&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_cfcb868ceb-6225a9bfb8-79248369
Well said, Olly!