State Alleges Sex Bias At Father's

"Father's," a chain of seven legal bars in the Boston area, faces possible legal action for failing to comply with an order by the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination to end its Ladies Night promotions, the unit supervisor of the commission said yesterday.

Robert L. Sanders said the Father's chain last month received an order to "cease and desist" the promotions, which allegedly violate state laws against sex discrimination. The commission's order followed its adoption of new guidelines allowing it to regulate discriminatory practices, which went into effect on January 1.

The regulations state that bars cannot use any marketing practice that discriminates on the basis of sex, such as offering lower prices to women customers. The commission still has not decided how to enforce the cease and desist orders, although it has also field civil suits against a number of alleged violators, Sanders added.

"Father's" owners are currently fighting the suits, Francis J. DiMento '48, lawyer for the chain, said yesterday. The owners contend that they are not discriminating against men, he said.

"Father's" does not turn men away from the bar, and the cheap drinks increase volume and lower prices for all customers, DiMento said.

A spokesman for the chain, who asked not to be identified, would not say yesterday whether "Father's" would continue to hold Ladies' Nights. However, a bartender at "Father's" Six said last night he did not know of any change in the practices.

Several patrons of "Father's" Six contacted last night said they do not mind the practices. One customer said last night, "You gotta have a gimmick to get the girls to come here--it don't bother me that they drink for cheap."

The commission is conducting inquiries into the practices of other bars in the area but has filed no other complaints, Sanders added.

Despite the new regulations the commission will still find it difficult to enforce the statute, he said