So yeah, I'm looking for a new job - I am a bartender and like half of the bar tending jobs say 'females only', which unless I am mistaken is ILLEGAL?!

Isn't that discrimination? How do I get people to stop this or look into it?

I mean, I get why they'd rather have some hot 20 year old girl in a tight outfit behind the bar, but I am sick of all of these companies blatantly tossing up ads for 'female only' bar tending positions. GRRRR!!!

That is the funny thing with bartending. In some areas you will only see female bartenders and other areas you will only see men. I bartended for a few years and luckily here in Saint Louis most of the town seems to be evenly spread out gender wise.

Sounds illegal to me. But then so did the casinos in NJ having a weight requirement (females) and that was allowed.

It's more of our rights being washed away.

Btw, with only 1 exception, I prefer a male bartender (but then, I'm female) but the men always have good jokes, they're great story tellers and some will spontaneously break out in song :)

(Johnny Dugan after singing "When Irish Eyes are Smiling...and what a voice he has!)

Bothers me too. I don't think it's illegal, but it does suck. I tend bar also and am having a tough time looking for gigs.

Edit* Those were probably the 3 closest together comments ever.

That is something you would never see me do when tending bar.

male or female.. as a drunken Irish b*****d, if you serve me a cold refreshing drink in a timely manner, I will love you all the same.

It's legal (sort of) to only hire females if you can prove that it's beneficial and/or necessary to the business. For example, I wouldn't hire males to dance at my strip club, because that might scare away some customers. It's still completely sexist and wrong, but legal.

It's funny though, if I put up a "male bartenders only" sign in my bar, they ACLU would be all over my ass for discrimination.

Did you just say "my Strip club"? you own one? I so wanna go. Since I'm a fellow Plimate do I have to pay cover? is there sex in the Champagne room?

And more importantly, is there champagne in the sex room?

Plimates get in free, but you gotta tip well. Sex is allowed in the Champagne and Vodka room, but is no longer allowed in the Tequila room due to obvious hazards.

Champagne is strictly prohibited in the sex room. However, sparkling wine is now allowed.

The equasion is simple

Women = Breasts
Breasts = Libido
Libido = Sex
Sex = Money

Drunk guys who have their hands in their pockets want to get served by hot women not hairy men.

I think it is wrong, I am not justifying. I'm just pointing out the obvious.

As a girl, I hate it when bars have only female bartenders. They know that I won't tip extra because they are showing off their big (fake) boobs, so I don't get service. I hate it, hate it, hate it. So I just avoid those types of venues and stick with pubs where the barkeeps are happy to keep me supplied with booze.

I personally like the really old guy bartenders. the ones how look like their faces got chewed on by a jaguar, and are perferably missing an eye or something cool. cause those guys got stories and nothing beats throwing back a few cold ones listening to some old haggered dude tell you about "this one time in a Laotian prison....."

female bartenders only? are these bars intentionally looking for a sexual assault lawsuit?

Yea, I get the arguments that guys spend more money on female bartenders, but that's not actually true.

Guys ONLY spend more money when they are AROUND hot girls at the bar and are buying rounds of drinks and shots with the ladies.

I am 10 times the upseller as most female bartenders I know, and I am 20 times faster. I get entire crowds to start taking shots together, I make everyone have a blast, and that leads to a) bigger tips and b) repeat customers.

Still, I really can't believe it is legal to specifically say 'female bartenders only'.

well ... it's probably only illegal if it's 'male bartenders only' or 'white bartenders only'. when it's 'female/black bartenders only', it seems to be perfectly legal.

then again ... it's legal until somebody calls the cops. have you thought of contacting the BBB about this?

As a matter of fact, I have considering calling the state attorney's office about this, but I didn't want to be THAT guy. Plus, these tools are going to hire females one way or another, I guess it saves me the time of going and filling out an app for nothing!

you could also bypass all that and post your resume online, like at craigslist. let those bars who care more about job performance more than boobs to come looking for you.

Try calling the Labor Department. That's their job.

I'm surprised no one has mentioned gay bars.

You should apply to bartend at a gay bar.

Yes, there is a weight requirement if you will, but I have to shed some light on the truths behind it.

You were auditioned for a position to be a costumed beverage server. If you were hired you were weighed. You are not allowed to gain more than 7% of your body weight barring pregnancy or medical conditions and if you do, the company pays for you to go on a weight loss program during a 90 day suspension.

I personally do not have a problem with this rule. It is an auditioned position and the same goes for men as well as women. The Rio in Vegas has a similar policy and to be honest with you, the costumes they wear would not look good on everyone.

I don't agree with making people feel like they have to binge diet or go all anorexic, but I find no difference between this and any other role that is auditioned for.

Now, onto all female bartenders:

I am a bartender and the owner of my bar prefers to have women bartending but has hired men. I don't agree with this idea as I have seen just as many people at the bar when our male bartender was working. As long as the person has a great personality and makes a mean drink, people don't give a crap who is behind the bar.
I would think that listing a job opening like that would be against EOE. If this is how they want to run their bar, they should just interview all that are qualified and pick only women.