Comments on: Streetfilm: Ladies’ Repair Night

By: Steven Vance

Steven Vance — Wed, 28 May 2008 18:10:59 +0000

In Chicago, we have several organizations that do this. See a list on this page:

http://chicagobikes.org/public/donations.php

By: adifferentLARS

adifferentLARS — Mon, 19 May 2008 16:58:02 +0000

All I can say is BRAVO!

Keep coming back.

By: Dave

Dave — Mon, 19 May 2008 03:56:50 +0000

Like I said no one sees the need for a Men’s Night but it doesn’t make a “Ladies Night” any more appropriate or legal.

By: Al B.

Al B. — Mon, 19 May 2008 02:36:59 +0000

Actually I heard that RAB tried to start a Men’s Night a while back, but the problem was no one kept showing up!

By: Dave

Dave — Mon, 19 May 2008 02:07:16 +0000

Actually Lars it’s tongue-in-cheek but not completely a joke, as the law prohibits discrimination of any sort based on sex. So technically the ladies free-weight room is probably illegal as I cannot think of a reason it needs to be women only (unlike other medical or criminal settings where it is appropriate).

Look at it this way, if your gym had a men’s-only weight room how long until some woman complained about it? But it’s a two-way street so if men are forced to open to women, they opposite must be true.

On this basis I believe the whole Curves chain (apart from being run by right-wing fruitcakes) is in fact a violation of sex non-discrimination law.

The problem is that women care a lot more about access to men’s areas than the contrary. I personally am just pissed that women drink for free when I have to pay at ladies’ nights.

By: Heffron

Heffron — Sat, 17 May 2008 13:52:26 +0000

Thank you Karen Overton… wherever you are. Oh wait I’ll see her today.

By: Lars

Lars — Sat, 17 May 2008 06:24:43 +0000

The above comment is a joke, right?

My gym has a ladies only free weights room. No one has a problem with it and that’s hundreds of people..

By: Dave

Dave — Sat, 17 May 2008 03:03:25 +0000

This “Ladies Repair Night” is illegal under NYS state law barring discrimination based on gender except where extenuating circumstances allow. (All “ladies night” drink special promotions at bars are also illegal BTW)

While I think no intent to discriminate is present here and I’m not going to show up to see if I can get help as a man, I’d suggest re-wording the copy to perhaps place an emphasis on women but to avoid an exclusionary phrase like “teaches bike mechanics 101 to women”