As a lady who used to frequent bars that regularly held “Ladies Night’s,” I had never really stopped to ponder this question. Guess I must have been too busy enjoying free/cheap drinks to notice (alcohol: the opiate of sexism?). But now that I’ve sobered up a bit, it certainly is an interesting question to consider.
*This article is meant to be a satirical-ish opinion piece, designed to encourage witty banter, and is riddled with circular questioning that ultimately never arrives at any definitive conclusions.
As a woman who has benefited from “Ladies Night” - in that I’ve saved mucho dinero by taking advantage of free/cheap drinks instead of having to spend a larger sum of my student loan money to get hammered (Sorry Mom! Please stop reading this!) - it’s difficult to lambaste an event I have participated in and have (in)directly supported.
But is it fair that men have to pay more for drinks on “Ladies Night” just because they are men? In case you’re struggling with the answer to this question, I’ll give you a hint: no! Of course it isn’t fair that men have to pay more for drinks during “Ladies Night,” but, surprisingly, I’ve never heard a male friend complain about it. Not once. Perhaps men are ultimately distracted from the unfairness of it all by bevies of inebriated females (“drunk bitches:” the opiate of reverse discrimination?). Well, except for Dennis Koire that is, who complained all the way to the California Supreme Court after being denied entrance to a bar his female companion easily gained entrance to. Tsk-tsk. Let this be a lesson to the rest of you nightclubs: If you are going to openly celebrate female chauvinism, there has to be something in it for the men (erm, “drunk bitches”).
What about the bars who choose to sponsor/host “Ladies Night?” Are they inherently sexist? My wager is no; I would, however, say they are opportunistic. (But wait? Isn’t taking advantage of sexism for one’s own financial gain merely perpetuating stereotypes of female passivity and incompetence? Ok, I concede!) But let’s be honest here: What ultimately makes a bar successful? The ability to attract female clientele, of course! Because where the ladies go, men tend to follow.
So, should I (and other women) be angry at those alcohol-purveying establishments who ultimately perpetuate patriarchy in the quest for the almighty dollar? Should men be angry about female chauvinistic practices that leave their wallets lighter at the end of the day? It certainly seems that “Ladies Night” screws both men and women over (and helps them get screwed, “Hey-Oh!”), and you may think the answer to these questions is obvious, but you’d be (obviously) wrong.
Got an opinion on the issue? *Disclaimer: I make no promises to agree with, respect, or even care about your opinion, but if you must share it, comment below.
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