Guy Buys Movie Ticket, Internet Outraged

 

A Brooklyn movie theater recently scheduled a special screening of Wonder Woman open only to women. Cinema/dining chain Alamo Drafthouse said on their website, “Apologies, gentlemen, but we’re embracing our girl power and saying ‘No Guys Allowed’ for several special shows at the Alamo Downtown Brooklyn. And when we say ‘Women (and people who identify as women) only,’ we mean it.”

Movie fan (and my Conservatarians podcast partner-in-crime) Stephen Miller decided he wanted to see a new superhero flick, so he bought a ticket online. Upon sharing this rather mundane act, the Internet exploded, as is its wont.

Of course, there were thousands more entertaining tweets, but their ubiquitous profanity violates Ricochet’s Code of Conduct. To each attack, Miller stressed he has no interest in making a scene; he just wants to sit down and watch Wonder Woman.

Of course, his calmness created even more outrage. A.V. Club writer William Hughes wrote the first of sure to be many think-pieces on this calumny:

As Miller has delighted in telling people irritated by his decision—in that “I am speaking calmly, so you must be the [expletive]” tone so beloved by internet trolls—there’s nothing illegal about purchasing a ticket to a screening. That argument does, though, gloss over the fact that, while barging into a space you’ve been asked to stay out of just because that request made you feel briefly tiny and weak doesn’t make you a criminal, it does make you an insecure piece of [expletive].”

Alamo Drafthouse is in a bit of a pickle here. New York City law strictly prohibits them from discriminating by gender:

In fact, New York City prohibits even advertising women-only events, meaning that Alamo is already in violation of the law.

After years of progressives demanding that businesses bake cakes and open bathrooms, it’s cathartic to see them reverse their position when it offends their consciences. Miller is offering them a minor, even friendly, clinic on the brave new world they have created.

And I’m sure he’ll provide a thorough review of the screening when he returns to our podcast.

Published in Entertainment
Like this post? Want to comment? Join Ricochet’s community of conservatives and be part of the conversation. Join Ricochet for Free.

There are 144 comments.

Become a member to join the conversation. Or sign in if you're already a member.
  1. Patrick McClure Coolidge
    Patrick McClure
    @Patrickb63

    You go girl.

     

    • #1
  2. Percival Thatcher
    Percival
    @Percival

    I’ve never been to an Alamo Drafthouse theater, and I see no reason to start going now.

    Or ever, for that matter.

    • #2
  3. Knotwise the Poet Member
    Knotwise the Poet
    @KnotwisethePoet

    Setting aside the legal side of it, can’t Stephen Miller render all their complaints moot by just declaring himself transgender and decrying his critics’ bigoted assumptions about his self-identity?

    • #3
  4. Could Be Anyone Inactive
    Could Be Anyone
    @CouldBeAnyone

    • #4
  5. Valiuth Member
    Valiuth
    @Valiuth

    Ha! But now he has to go watch The Wonder Woman movie.

    • #5
  6. DrewInWisconsin Member
    DrewInWisconsin
    @DrewInWisconsin

    Knotwise the Poet (View Comment):
    Setting aside the legal side of it, can’t Stephen Miller render all their complaints moot by just declaring himself transgender and decrying his critics’ bigoted assumptions about his self-identity?

    That’s what they’d prefer. They did say that those identifying as women were welcome.

    I think his approach is much better in that by not using the “identifying as” escape hatch, his action has demonstrated the inherent sexism (not to mention illegality) of Alamo Drafthouse’s decision.

    Who was it said “Make them live up to their own rules”?

    • #6
  7. Merrijane Inactive
    Merrijane
    @Merrijane

    Oh my goodness, that podcast review is going to be absolutely delicious. The thing is, of course it’s a jerk move … but that’s the point! Liberals who are completely incapable of empathizing with the feelings of conservatives and their desire for sex-segregated bathrooms are suddenly flabbergasted that conservatives don’t get how rude it is to crash their females-only movie showing. Of course we get it. We’d be overjoyed if they got it, too.

    • #7
  8. Percival Thatcher
    Percival
    @Percival

    Knotwise the Poet (View Comment):
    Setting aside the legal side of it, can’t Stephen Miller render all their complaints moot by just declaring himself transgender and decrying his critics’ bigoted assumptions about his self-identity?

    Either temporarily identify as a woman, or give your gender as something not on their lists — Trafalmadorian, maybe — and get loud (and indignant) when they question it. Bring along some friends for moral support (and video recording). See if you can get the purple-haired, tongue-studded assistant manager’s head to explode.

    We’re the counterculture now. We need to start acting (and acting up) like it.

    • #8
  9. DrewInWisconsin Member
    DrewInWisconsin
    @DrewInWisconsin

    By the way, do you think the ACLU would be interested in making a court case of it? I wouldn’t mind seeing Austin-based Alamo Drafthouse take it on the chin.

    • #9
  10. Knotwise the Poet Member
    Knotwise the Poet
    @KnotwisethePoet

    DrewInWisconsin (View Comment):

    Knotwise the Poet (View Comment):
    Setting aside the legal side of it, can’t Stephen Miller render all their complaints moot by just declaring himself transgender and decrying his critics’ bigoted assumptions about his self-identity?

    That’s what they’d prefer. They did say that those identifying as women were welcome.

    I think his approach is much better in that by not using the “identifying as” escape hatch, his action has demonstrated the inherent sexism (not to mention illegality) of Alamo Drafthouse’s decision.

    Who was it said “Make them live up to their own rules”?

    True, true.

    • #10
  11. DrewInWisconsin Member
    DrewInWisconsin
    @DrewInWisconsin

    Oh, also . . . it’s a fundraiser for Planned Parenthood Abortion Mills . . . so while I applaud Miller’s action, I must protest that he just gave money to the world’s most notorious baby-parts distributor.

    • #11
  12. MLH Inactive
    MLH
    @MLH

    Didn’t read the whole thing. Part way through I thought, “Charm school won’t save us.”

    • #12
  13. Skyler Coolidge
    Skyler
    @Skyler

    I guess it serves Alamo Drafthouse right for venturing into that hell hole of New York City.

    • #13
  14. The King Prawn Inactive
    The King Prawn
    @TheKingPrawn

    DrewInWisconsin (View Comment):
    They did say that those identifying as women were welcome.

    I imagine that a man who identifies as a woman but does not toe the line of leftist ideology also would not be welcome. It’s always about their control. Always.

    • #14
  15. Nick Hlavacek Coolidge
    Nick Hlavacek
    @NickH

    Stephen should know by know that when it comes to the left their policy is “rules for thee but not for me.” Alamo’s heart is pure and they’re on the right side of history and all that.  I’m sure Alamo will claim that this isn’t discrimination, but instead is a form of affirmative action. After all everyone knows how women have been systematically oppressed at movie theaters (which explains why movies like The Notebook and Twilight and 50 Shades of Grey were all box office flops). Enjoy the movie, Stephen.

    • #15
  16. Knotwise the Poet Member
    Knotwise the Poet
    @KnotwisethePoet

    Valiuth (View Comment):
    Ha! But now he has to go watch The Wonder Woman movie.

    While I do find this whole situation funny, I actually am looking forward to seeing the Wonder Woman movie.  I think this might end up being the first DC-Cinematic Universe movie to actually be a decent film.

    • #16
  17. Knotwise the Poet Member
    Knotwise the Poet
    @KnotwisethePoet

    DrewInWisconsin (View Comment):
    Oh, also . . . it’s a fundraiser for Planned Parenthood Abortion Mills . . . so while I applaud Miller’s action, I must protest that he just gave money to the world’s most notorious baby-parts distributor.

    Dagnammit!  That does complicate matters.

    • #17
  18. Jamie Lockett Member
    Jamie Lockett
    @JamieLockett

    Leftist tears are delicious.

    Let’s be honest – he did this to make a point not just “see a movie”.

    Funny as hell though.

    • #18
  19. Knotwise the Poet Member
    Knotwise the Poet
    @KnotwisethePoet

    Jamie Lockett (View Comment):
    Leftist tears are delicious.

    Let’s be honest – he did this to make a point not just “see a movie”.

    Funny as hell though.

    Oh yeah, he’s totally trolling.  But this is some trolling I can get behind.

    • #19
  20. Bishop Wash Member
    Bishop Wash
    @BishopWash

    The King Prawn (View Comment):

    DrewInWisconsin (View Comment):
    They did say that those identifying as women were welcome.

    I imagine that a man who identifies as a woman but does not toe the line of leftist ideology also would not be welcome. It’s always about their control. Always.

    Bruce Jenner got a lot of push back from them when he said he was a Republican.

    • #20
  21. Lois Lane Coolidge
    Lois Lane
    @LoisLane

    Come on, guys.  This is about congregation.  Not segregation.

    (I’m being sarcastic here, just so you know.  I recently saw an episode of Blackish, a show I like, make this point about all black dorms on college campuses, and… well… I just don’t get it any more than I get the “girls only” movie.)

    I will say I actually love going to the Alamo, which is Austin based, but I was pleasantly surprised to see the mall theatre near us stepping up their game by serving their own margaritas to better compete for the Alamo’s business.  (Gotta love how free markets work.)

    The only thing that gives me pause about this venture into the war of the sexes is–per another comment above–that the Wonder Woman showing is a fundraiser for Planned Parenthood.  That would make going to this movie a seriously hard pill to swallow, even if making a very good point.

    Also, why does Brooklyn get this movie so early???   What’s so special about New York?

    • #21
  22. Skyler Coolidge
    Skyler
    @Skyler

    Lois Lane (View Comment):

    Also, why does Brooklyn get this movie so early??? What’s so special about New York?

    Absolutely nothing that is positive, for sure.

    • #22
  23. Benjamin Glaser Inactive
    Benjamin Glaser
    @BenjaminGlaser

    I’ll be that guy and say I do not find this kind of stunt amusing or helpful to the cause of conservatism in any way.

    It goes to show that immaturity and classlessness is not just a thing seen among the Trumpist Right, but has made its way to the other side as well. No one is going to be won by interrupting the event and rude behavior is not part of the virtues true Conservatives should be inculcating through their example.

    • #23
  24. Douglas Inactive
    Douglas
    @Douglas

    Knotwise the Poet (View Comment):
    Setting aside the legal side of it, can’t Stephen Miller render all their complaints moot by just declaring himself transgender and decrying his critics’ bigoted assumptions about his self-identity?

    The point is to reverse-Alinsky them and, as the old radical taught, “make the enemy live by his own rules”. Or in this case, hers.

    The Left has been pushing “equality” on us for years with the assurances that this is for the purest of motivations, and that the world will be a better place for it. I know the phrase has been overused, but this whole thing has been quite red-pilling to a lot of other progressive men. They bought the whole “feminism means equal” crap, and now they’re face to face with the truth that feminism is just shorthand for “$#%& Men”. And feminism… and liberalism as a whole… is one big, stinky, steaming pile of hypocrisy. “Oh boys, it’s just one showing”.

    It was just one bakery. But you chose to press the issue, just to be petty about it. Fine. Sell me that ticket, or else.

    • #24
  25. Douglas Inactive
    Douglas
    @Douglas

    DrewInWisconsin (View Comment):
    By the way, do you think the ACLU would be interested in making a court case of it? I wouldn’t mind seeing Austin-based Alamo Drafthouse take it on the chin.

    Of course not. But if it were a men’s-only screening of something, you can be assured they’d have been on top of it, lickety-split. As I said, liberalism = hypocrisy.

    • #25
  26. James Lileks Contributor
    James Lileks
    @jameslileks

    Benjamin Glaser (View Comment):
    No one is going to be won by interrupting the event and rude behavior is not part of the virtues true Conservatism should be inculcating through their example.

    It’s not about winning, though. It’s about making the other side live up the rules they wish everyone else to follow. (Or else.) I’d guess 97.3% of the men criticizing the event don’t care that it’s happening, or that they’re told to keep out; it’s not about feeling threatened by Strong Women Assembling For Strongness. It’s their certainty that a men-only showing of “Iron Man” would be result in a flock of furies swooping down on their heads. As it would.

    • #26
  27. Jon Gabriel, Ed. Contributor
    Jon Gabriel, Ed.
    @jon

    James Lileks (View Comment):

    Benjamin Glaser (View Comment):
    No one is going to be won by interrupting the event and rude behavior is not part of the virtues true Conservatism should be inculcating through their example.

    It’s not about winning, though. It’s about making the other side live up the rules they wish everyone else to follow. (Or else.) I’d guess 97.3% of the men criticizing the event don’t care that it’s happening, or that they’re told to keep out; it’s not about feeling threatened by Strong Women Assembling For Strongness. It’s their certainty that a men-only showing of “Iron Man” would be result in a flock of furies swooping down on their heads. As it would.

    Not surprisingly, the lion’s share of complaints about Miller’s actions come from guys.

    • #27
  28. Douglas Inactive
    Douglas
    @Douglas

    Jon Gabriel, Ed. (View Comment):
    Not surprisingly, the lion’s share of complaints about Miller’s actions come from guys.

    Of course. In Millenial Land, White Knighting is a thing.

    • #28
  29. Melissa Praemonitus Member
    Melissa Praemonitus
    @6foot2inhighheels

    Perhaps progressive theaters will soon require men to watch a movie in their own section up front, where they cannot easily gaze at gals, with women safely in the back, near the exits.

    That way, people of the opposite sex will only sit near each other in the unisex bathroom.

    • #29
  30. profdlp Inactive
    profdlp
    @profdlp

    Melissa Praemonitus (View Comment):
    Perhaps progressive theaters will soon require men to watch a movie in their own section up front, where they cannot easily gaze at gals…

    Or pass out burqas on the way in.

    • #30
Become a member to join the conversation. Or sign in if you're already a member.