Ladies' Nights Condemned For Discriminating Against Men

The Champagne might be about to stop flowing for half the adult population of Austria, as that country's Ombud for Equal Treatment has ruled that Ladies' Night promotions are discriminatory against men.

Many bars, restaurants, and nightclubs around the world have offered special Ladies' Night promotions in an attempt to get women to patronize their bars, often in the hopes that if women are at the bars, then men will follow. Ladies' Night promotions can include free or discounted drinks or menu items, or a waiving of a club's cover charge, or other benefits. But now Austria's Ombud for Equal Treatment has issued an official report condemning the promotions for violating Austria's Equal Treatment Act.

According to The Local, this new ruling opens doors for men to sue bars, clubs, or restaurants for gender discrimination.

"All goods and services offered in the context of commercial activities should be priced regardless of gender," said the Ombud's report, which also said that the fact that women generally are paid less than men is irrelevant to the issue.