Denied entry to club because I'm pregnant!!

[AllyZ]

I'm totally in shock. I'm 28 weeks pregnant and my girlfriend is visiting two days without her hubby and dd and yesterday we went out for a drink to show her town (we're in France - holiday house). Everything happens late over here so had a drink (juice) at 10.30 pm, nice chat and decided to leave at around midnight.

On the way the car we pass the club in the same building as the bar we've just been at and decide to go in quick so she can have a look, probably wouldn't even have got a drink, just ten minutes and home. I think the doormen are joking first when they say "no, we you can't go in because you're pregnant. We don't allow it". But NO, he's not joking! They say it's for health reason (eg. me falling over etc). I explain that I'm just going to the bar, not dancefloor and literally staying ten minutes to show my friend the place. Nope. Denied.

I'm so furious and feel completely humiliated. Like they make a decision that's mine to make and basically tell me I'm a bad person and mother for joining my friend in a club after midnight.

Has anyone ever heard about anything like this???

[MrsHuxtable]

Hmmmm, I don't really know. I've never heard about it in the UK but France might be different and if that's really how things are done over there, surely the doorman couldn't be sure you'd only be in for 10 minutes.

Maybe it was for insurance reasons? I actually found myself wondering the other day if I would go into a club when pregnant for a work night out and I cam to the conclusion that I wouldn't. Simply because of the number of drunk people and the danger of being shoved about...

[kat2504]

That is ridiculous. Women being treated as children not capable of making their own decisions about safety. Pissed people have a much higher chance of falling over but they are allowed in.

[MrsHuxtable]

Yes, pissed people have a higher chance of falling over but then it's their own fault and everyone expects drunk people to fall over more easily. A pregnant women being pushed over by a drunk person on the other hand...that's a different story. So unless we know what the law in France is, we really can't judge the behaviour of the bouncer...

It's really just the same as flying when pregnant. Airlines can make up their own rules (depending on which insurance they have) for how long they will carry pregnant woman. It varies hugely from 24 weeks to 36 or even longer with a doctors note IYSWIM.

[AllyZ]

Just to make things clear. There's a bar when you come in and the dance floor is completely separated, and obviously I would sit in the bar. Also it was very early and pretty empty. I would never put my baby at risk.

To those of you who feel its right for bouncers to refuse pregnant women, what about people with handicaps? They are more likely to fall or be injured, should they be refused too?

[ConstanceNoring]

I think the bouncer was right, yes a grown woman should be able to act responsibly especially while pregnant but they don't know you do they? And perhaps they would be liable if anything happened to harm your baby.

[MrsHuxtable]

Of course people with handicaps should not be stopped from going anywhere.
All I'm saying is, we don't know what the law in France is and what kind of insurance the place you went to has.
Having lived in different countries over the years, I have learned that different societies have different laws and quite often they don't make sense at all if you are not used to them. I feel the same in the UK.

I would not think for a second that you want to put your baby at risk or that any pregnant woman going to a club is doing so... I did not mean to offend you!

Of course that particular bouncer might have been talking rubbish and just wanted to piss you off but we don't really know..

[Georgimama]

Well in the UK his actions would be completely out of order and contrary to the Equality Act. But I have absolutely no idea if there is an equivalent law in France.

[kat2504]

The thing about the airlines is so that you don't give birth prematurely in the aisles of the plane 30000 feet in the air, no access to a hospital, no medical personnel. It isn't because the flying can do you any harm. Usually they won't take you after 36 weeks regardless of doctors note because of the high chance of going into labour.
Why can't a pregnant woman have a dance in a club if she wants to? If I turned up at a club with a broken leg on crutches would they turn me away. I still think it is ridiculous that pregnant women are not treated like responsible adults. I've read things on here about women not being served cheeses at a counter due to being pregnant in case they eat it themselves. So they can't be trusted to buy a bit of brie for the rest of their family, or even to make their own mind up about what to eat? A high risk of accidents to pregnant women would be driving around in their own car. Should we all have to hand our driving licences in when we get pregnant in case some moron goes into the back end of our car?

[ConstanceNoring]

But your baby has no choice in your decision to take the risk, presumably a handicapped person would enter the club 'at your own risk' so to speak, as anyone would, not knowing whether you might end up getting knocked down by some drunken fool.

[MrsHuxtable]

Thanks Georgiemama,
that's all I meant to say. Different country might mean different rules. Unless someone bothers to look it up, there is really no point arguing about this.

[ruletheworld]

What risk?? She's popping into a half empty club not detonating bombs in Afghanistan!

Ridiculous if you ask me. More likely you would get pushed over on a rush hour tube/metro. Would it be ok to stop you using those too?

[ruletheworld]

Handicap is a horrible term btw

[kat2504]

My baby has no choice in the fact that I am still driving around in my car and crossing the street. In either of those situations I could be harmed by some drunken fool yet I am still allowed, as an adult and not just a baby incubator, to continue to do those things. I am even allowed on public transport if I want to, despite the fact that sometimes it is busy and people jostle around.
I really don't think sitting at a bar in a nightclub at half past ten is a risk. Unless the club is extremely crowded and busy, dancing would do no harm either. Should pregnant women not be allowed to live music gigs either? Heck, why not stay at home wrapped in cotton wool for nine months? On second thoughts, most accidents happen in the home.....

[GwendolineMaryLacey]

Utter nonsense. I'm 22 weeks, had I better start planning to stay in all the time? God forbid I lead a life while pregnant.

[kat2504]

I doubt France has passed a law against it. As that would be blatant sex discrimination. It's just some silly rule this particular club has come up with all by itself. What about pregnant women who aren't showing yet? Should we all POAS on entry?

[ConstanceNoring]

The risk of getting knocked down by some drunken fool, as I said. Personally a night club would be one of the last places I would want to be when pregnant, that and the tube. But each to their own, meh.

But I agree with mrsHux, not much point discussing it any further when we don't know if it's a French law issue.

[ruletheworld]

You get drunken fools everywhere!!! There are risks everywhere!! As someone else is saying she could be knocked over by a drunken fool in the street, a car, wherever.

Complete and utter bollocks argument

[kat2504]

France is a member state of the EU and therefore subject to EU law on equality.
The women of London manage to use the tube and although I'm sure it can't be pleasant when heavily pregnant, nobody would suggest banning them and thereby preventing them from getting around.
Pregnant women should be entitled to make their own decisions.

[PeterSpanswick]

That's ridiculous! As an adult you are perfectly capable of assessing the risk to your body and your pregnancy for yourself. Are you aware of any guidance on this in France that may differ to the UK?

I would have denied being pregnant and feigned extreme offence.

[bemybebe]

The club is completely out of order in my opinion. Totally!

[TastyMuffins]

How the he'll did he even know you are pregnant? That is absolutely none of his business. If there is anything that might be harmful to a pregnant woman, there should be a sign up like on a fairground ride. This would only be a recommendation also.

[HidingInTheUndergrowth]

I agree with rule. This is quite frankly insulting and ridiculous. It is my choice what risks I wish to take when I am pregnant and it is even up to me to judge the risks for my unborn child. It is not up to anyone else to make that decision and I really do resent the fact that apparently as soon as I get pregnant some people think that I am no longer capable or responsible enough to decide what constitutes an acceptable risk.

And there is a point in discussing it. Even if there is some strange law in france saying that pregnant women aren't allowed in night clubs ( hmmm... Sounds unlikely doesn't it), surely it is still worth pointing out that this would be a bizarre thing to have and enforce.

[ConstanceNoring]

complete and utter bollocks argument

No need to be quite so rude is there?

I wasn't arguing - merely giving my personal view, plus offering some suggestion as to why op would be refused entry ie the club's liability perhaps.

But we don't know the law or insurance so yes it's a bollocks discussion until we do.

[CollieandPup]

I am at your experience but even more that some people on here find it completely acceptable even if it had been in the UK!
As georgie has already said, the denial of entry to a club would be illegal in the UK under the Equality Act, but I don't know about French Law and European law wouldn't protect you. IMO it is not acceptable though, you are an adult and free to make that choice- even if you had wanted to go onto the dance floor!!!

constance the point isn't whether you'd want to go in or not, a club is the last place a lot of people want to go, pregnant or not. But we all deserve and have a right to make that choice.   

[ruletheworld]

Constance - sorry I didn't mean it was a bollocks argument from you, I meant if that is the clubs offence then it is a bollocks argument from them. But reading it back I can see it looks rude to you, sorry!