Recounting her own experience, Fait warns readers of dangerous alcoholic concoctions.
On a sizzling day in Las Vegas last summer, I was sprawled on a lounge chair in a bronze two-piece with an oversized sun hat atop my head. Unexpectedly, a shadow was standing over me. As I peered overhead, a cool cat of an employee gave me an exclusive invite: “Free drinks at the Bare pool,” passing along a card with his initials.
Obviously the Bare pool wasn’t receiving enough attention by the hotel’s guests. There is the brutish logic that if women come to bare all for free drinks then the men will follow to ogle. Hence, women face that ridicule of feeling objectified.
Women have every right to own our bodies and freely show any amount of skin. However, that form of expression should be on women’s own terms. Such an invite does not fall under the flattered category.
While all “ladies specials” might not be so distasteful, a certain odious quality persists about gendered discounts. Why should gendered specials stop at alcohol? Why not offer men discounts on underwear or pomegranates? That would be an absolutely laughable concept. Yet, it is considered acceptable for women to gain a discount for alcohol.
From college-aged students and beyond, folks enjoy saving money, especially when it comes to drinking alcohol. The “ladies night” drink special creates a double standard. That double standard has an underlying meaning. If females are attracted to the bar for the special, then men will be sure to follow.
More dangerous implications occur for ladies’ drink specials. Discounted drinks leave room for women to consume more alcohol for a cheaper rate. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, women tend to weigh less, so as a result, their blood alcohol concentration will rise at a quicker rate.
The institute has compiled a long list of risks for women, especially in college. Alcohol consumption alarmingly raises the risk of drunk driving, sexual assault, unsafe sex and injury.
Inexpensive drink specials for women contain implications that are often not viewed on the surface beyond a good deal. Those deals create a double standard environment with huge concerns for women’s safety.
Cassie Fait is a senior studying journalism and women’s, gender and sexuality studies. Email her at cf301411@ohio.edu.
