New York Bar Only Lets In Women Over 25 and Men Over 30

Pretty much everyone has been turned away from a bar for being underage—mainly because it's illegal. But what about adults being turned away because of their age or the wrong gender?

Well, if you fancy a dash of sexism and a splash of ageism in your cocktail, then Kasey's Kitchen & Cocktails is the place for you. This double-barrel of discrimination might seem a little arbitrary, but it's a reality at the Long Island rooftop bar, where entrance is granted only to women over 25 and men over 30.

Anyone who's been to a bar packed with males under the age of 30 knows that the vibe can get very bro-y very quickly. And it's just as annoying to deal with the high-pitched wails of young women pounding Fireball in large groups and doing body shots. And while we hate to fall into stereotypes, any bartender will tell you about the change in vibe and noise level that comes along a bunch of Millennials on a Fireball bender.

But, much like the underage drinker being turned away because of their age, the real question here is the validity of the policy, which is not only sexist and ageist, according to critics, but illegal.

"They can do whatever they want, as long as it's legal, and this isn't legal," Donna Lieberman, the executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) told the New York Times."What we have here is a classic case of gender discrimination that is built on and perpetuates stereotypes from a bygone era. And it's unlawful."

Despite what the NYCLU sees as very solid ground for a legal challenge—citing New York's Executive Law 296, which prohibits denying entrance to clients based on "race, creed, color, national origin, sexual orientation, military status, sex, or disability or marital status of any person"—the co-owner of Kasey's stands by his policy.

"If you build a house, you decorate it the way you want," Anthony Geraci told the New York Times. "I could open a bar tomorrow and it could be an over-40s bar." Sure, you could also build a house and not let men in, but that would still make you sexist, by any stretch of the word.

Geraci then defended his apparent sexism with an apparently sexist statement. "Women mature earlier. I don't think it's sexist," he stated, neglecting the fact that saying "women mature earlier" is sexist.

MUNCHIES reached out to Geraci for commentary but was he not available in time to file this article.