It used to be that on certain nights, if you wanted a free drink, all you had to do was be a lady.
Now, for some bars, all you have to do is wear high heels or shave your legs.
With the city’s recent talks of discouraging ladies nights in Gainesville, a few area bars have come up with some creative ways to circumvent legal problems.
But is the effort worth the trouble?
According to city commission candidate Ozzy Angulo, contrary to popular belief ladies nights in Gainesville are not illegal.
While the Gainesville Office of Equal Opportunity is fielding complaints related to discrimination regarding ladies nights around town, law enforcement officers are not banging down bar doors trying to shut anything down.
Under current Gainesville codes, if someone were to complain that he or she felt discriminated against because a local bar held a ladies night, then the Office of Equal Opportunity would investigate that bar.
Although the threat of complaint is remote, some bars aren’t taking chances. Lux Bar, 211 W University Ave., has done away with its ladies night promotion and switched to new promotions, like their high-heels night.
Many of the bars that have changed their promotions are doing so because they don’t want to deal with the hassles of possible complaints and subsequent investigations, Angulo said.
Lux owner Steve Nichtberger, like other local bar owners, has not heard any complaints about ladies nights in Gainesville.
“I’ve never heard of a guy complain about ladies night and feeling discriminated against,” he said. “Usually they’re happy they don’t have to buy the drinks.”
Other bars, such as Mars Bar and Laser Tag, haven’t changed anything at all. Although they are opening themselves up to the possibility of investigation, they are still offering ladies night promotions on Thursdays.
Mars owner Melissa Del Valle said police stopped by her establishment to ask if she was aware that ladies nights could be a violation of the city’s ordinance code.
“Everyone keeps talking about it,” Del Valle said. “I hear that Midtown bars are telling them ‘Oh don’t worry guys. We’re not doing ladies night,’ but it really isn’t illegal, so I don’t know what all the fuss is.”
Angulo said he thinks these promotions are opening the door to absurdity.
“At the end of the day, it’s not going to change anything,” he said. “It’s going to create a little bit more confusion and rowdiness.”
Guys seeking out a free drink may take advantage of the new promotions, stopping in at bars, flashing their shaved legs and walking around in high heels, Angulo said.
UF student Chris Brown agrees with Angulo, though he won’t be one of those guys.
“I definitely would not shave my legs or wear heels to get a drink,” he said, “because that stuff does not go away. There’s gonna be pictures on Facebook or s--- like that, and your reputation will always be as the guy that wears high heels for free drinks.”
