Comedian Iliza Shlesinger, from NBC’s Last Comic Standing, is being sued by a men’s rights activist after she banned men from attending her comedy show on Nov. 13, TMZ reports.
George St. George was turned away from Shlesigner’s routine dubbed “Girls Night With Iliza – No Boys Allowed,” but the title of the show might’ve been the first clue that men likely weren’t going to be permitted in the audience. While St. George was given a full refund for the two tickets he purchased online, he decided that justice still wasn’t served.
The Hollywood Reporter reveals that St. George’s attorney, Alfred Rava, has a history of filing class action lawsuits against organizations who are guilty of gender discrimination, although he typically only takes on cases that discriminate against men specifically.
Bustle explains that Rava believes Shlesinger broke the Unruh Civil Rights Act of 1959, as the comedy show specifically prohibited a certain sex from attending the event. Rava also noted that this type of discrimination is somehow comparable to the Montgomery bus boycotts (which it obviously is not comparable whatsoever). According to Variety, Rava used to serve as the secretary of the National Coalition for Men, which could explain his exclusive interest in helping men who feel like they’ve been discriminated against.
While it’s clear that it may have been a bit harsh for Shlesinger to disallow men from attending her event, could this actually be considered discrimination? Although the “Girls Night” special was geared toward women specifically, the comedian has several other shows that allow all genders to attend, and perhaps she wanted this exclusively female space to make a point about the state of today’s society.
This isn’t the first time someone has been sued over allegedly discriminating against men. In June 2017, the Alamo Drafthouse movie theater chain was sued for screening women-only shows of Wonder Woman. According to The New York Post, the theater decided to host women-only screening as a way to embrace “girl power,” which makes sense seeing as Wonder Woman was the first superhero movie starring a woman since Elektra in 2005.
Given the hundreds of women who have spoken out against their abusers in the last several months, the “Girls Night” show could be seen as a safe haven for women—to get away from potential harassment and to have a lighthearted event to escape to. Maybe Shlesinger intended to use this comedy show as a way to support other women. Nevertheless, women aren’t the only ones who have been using their voices in the #MeToo movement, as seen by stories from men such as actor Terry Crews.
Regardless of Shlesinger’s motives for hosting this women-only event, Rava and St. George will likely continue to fight this alleged discrimination. To be honest, what might be more discriminatory is the fact that Rava almost exclusively takes on cases defending men.