People may have their own beliefs about whether or not pregnant women should be drinking, but according to a new New York City Law, you have to keep your opinions to yourself — at least if you're a bartender. Guidelines on pregnancy discrimination released Friday by New York's Commission on Human Rights state that bars can't deny someone admission or an alcoholic beverage just because she's pregnant.
The guidelines list a number of behaviors that constitute unacceptable treatment toward pregnant women, including unwillingness to hire someone due to pregnancy and policies that "deny entrance to pregnant individuals to certain public accommodations, or refuse to serve certain food or drinks to pregnant individuals or individuals perceived to be pregnant." A bouncer denying a pregnant woman entrance to a bar is listed as an example.
Doctors typically recommend not drinking heavily during pregnancy, according to WebMD, while the effects of small amounts of alcohol aren't as well understood.
However, the guidelines argue that it's not an establishment's place to make a call about these medical risks. "Judgments and stereotypes about how pregnant individuals should behave, their physical capabilities and what is or is not healthy for a fetus are pervasive in our society and cannot be used as pretext for unlawful discriminatory decisions," they read.
Dana Sussman, Special Counsel to the Commissioner, further explained the decision to Complex over email: “Far too often, people make judgments about what pregnant women can and cannot do, including what jobs they are capable of, how they should behave, and what establishments are appropriate for them to enter. ... Today’s guidance makes clear that it is illegal in NYC to treat pregnant women differently simply because they are pregnant. Pregnant women deserve the same opportunities and freedoms as everyone else.”
UPDATED May 11, 1:56 p.m. ET: This story was updated to include comment from Dana Sussman.
