Posted on 11/04/2009 3:36:40 PM PST by ConservativeStatement
Imagine launching a new restaurant and incurring the scrutiny of the American Civil Liberties Union and the National Organization for Women before it even opens.
That’s what happened to the owners of Stoddard’s Fine Food & Ale, a “gastropub” opening this month in Downtown Crossing.
Controversy erupted after Stoddard’s sent out a press release last month about its opening that included news of a private, membership-based “gentlemen-only Friday Club” on its lower level.
After the plans came under criticism for excluding women - and possibly violating a state law that prohibits discrimination in public places - Stoddard’s “clarified” its policy 12 days later. In a new statement last Wednesday, partner William Ashmore stressed the club would be “members only,” and women are free to join.
Ashmore told the Herald there was never any plan to exclude women, and that publicist Chris Lyons misconstrued the owners’ intentions. But, he said, “I’m going to take the blame for it simply because . . . many things were occurring at once, and I didn’t have enough focus on (the release).”
(Excerpt) Read more at bostonherald.com ...
But things exclusively for women, blacks, Asians, Latinos, gays and Muslim are A-OK.
So much for freedom of association.
Let the ugly feminazis in and freeze them out once they are there. To date, they have not been able to legislate whether I do or don’t talk to someone.
Al Bundy’s “No Ma’am” shirts would be big sellers.
Huh? I thought a private business was not a public place. Why do all restaurants have those signs “we reserve the right to refuse service to anyone” then?
How many men are in NOW? Answer? All of them. :-)
Mark my words soon the ACLU will try and sue to allow transgenders and post-op gender benders to be allowed to be Nuns
Yep. Haven’t you heard; White, heterosexual males are the new n1gg3rs.
You’re right, but I would have had some respect for him if he had. :)
Hmm. Now I’m curious... Is it really discrimination and/or against the law to have a members only, mens club? I wouldn’t care if anybody wanted to start their own members only whatever club, but that’s just me.
“So much for freedom of association.
Let the ugly feminazis in and freeze them out once they are there. To date, they have not been able to legislate whether I do or don’t talk to someone.”
Yeah, well that’s comin’
Nothing more than very clever PR. National news for a restaurant opening, designed to attract a preferred clientele.
This is Massachusetts. Think about it.
Indeed. Still...
This is supposedly illegal, but Curves is OK?
“Let the ugly feminazis in and freeze them out once they are there. To date, they have not been able to legislate whether I do or don’t talk to someone.”
They will only be interested in the other women anyway...
They will only be interested in the other women anyway...
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Seriously besides tough sports, etc., why on earth would any straight man want to be part of a MAN ONLY club??
Me thinks they are into men only...This is fine, but I think there are already “gay clubs” around.
My husband is a member of a few men’s-only clubs. He goes there for lunch and plays cards with his buddies. It’s basically a place where they can cuss and drink and smoke and tell dirty jokes. If the decor is any indication, there isn’t a gay man in the group.
This makes sense, but the place described above seems like a “restaurant†type atmosphere and to exclude women just seems bizarre unless they are, well you know...
You’re not married, are you? If you are, it cannot have been for very long.
Believe it or not, no matter how much a man loves his wife and children, there are times when men-heterosexual men- want to be where they can be men, among men, without having female voices and expectations intrude into their contemplations.
Where they can do the “base” things that all men, but only men, occasionally do without being frowned upon by women. Where they can put their feet up on the coffee table, or scratch their butt without some female taking offense.
Your comment about “gay clubs” wouldn’t win you many friends in elite armed forces units, either, FRiend.
Freedom of association for everyone indeed, unless you’re male, or white, or straight, or any combination of the above.
No such thing as bad publicity......
Wow. My husband uses the lampshades as hat racks, props his feet up, and scratches whenever and wherever it itches. I’ve never taken offense! Although I have harbored a secret wish *at times* that he would show me, the love of his life, the same respect he shows others, in that regard (lol).
That being said, I really don’t care if people have men/women only nights or clubs or whatever. A local fire dept. has an annual oyster night in the truck bay. A few years ago, a woman insisted upon attending and she did. I cannot imagine why she felt she had to be there or why she would want to be. Don’t cramp the guys’ style lady! I just thought it was rather stupid of her to insist on her right to attend, just to prove that she could. As far as I know, she never went again (nor have any others.)
Okay...okay......it said “gentlemen-only”.......if I do recall, in the old days....”gentlemen” were refined men, not “pimps, or gangstas” ...or should I say...or put it this way.....Don’t come to the club as a “Wal mart shopper” This did not mean to exclude “Ladies” and I do mean “Ladies” and not “bitches, sluts and HOs”
Get what I am saying?????
“After the plans came under criticism for excluding women - and possibly violating a state law that prohibits discrimination in public places...”
If they meet on private property, it shouldn’t even matter if it’s normally a public place. Once you exclude the public, it becomes a private place. Surely men-only clubs aren’t banned by law since there are women-only Curves Health Clubs all over Massachusetts. THAT would be gender discrimination.
Great strategy! The surest way to get a woman to do anything is to imply they’re not allowed. Now women will come from far and wide to hang out in the “Gentleman Only” section while they all ask each other what was so special about it.
He wouldn't be related to the famed porn star Buster Ashmore, would he?
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