A Michigan ski resort has canceled some activities in its upcoming Mardi Gras-themed event, including free skiing for women and a “beads contest,” after receiving an email threatening legal action.
Mount Bohemia Ski Resort in the U.P.’s Keweenaw Peninsula said it has canceled parts of its March 7 Mardi Gras Madness after receiving an anonymous email detailing potential legal challenges.
“This would have been expensive and time consuming litigation even though we would expect to prevail,” the company said Monday in a social media post.
The post included screenshots of an email the company said it received “late last week” from an account listed as civilrightsconcern@yahoo.com.
The emailer contends that offering free skiing to women while still charging men full price would be a violation of Michigan’s Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act. The law, established in 1976, prohibits discrimination based on numerous characteristics, including sex.
“Lift access is the core service of your resort. Offering that service free of charge to one sex while charging the other constitutes differential treatment based solely on sex,” the email said.
A message sent from The Detroit News to civilrightsconcern@yahoo.com seeking comment on the resort’s decision was not immediately returned.
A previous social media post by Mount Bohemia advertising the Mardi Gras Madness event indicated that the beads contest was open exclusively to women. Participants could win prizes ranging from pajama pants to a lifetime season pass based on how many beads they collect.
The company said it made the decision to cancel the beads contest and free skiing for women based on advice from its legal counsel. Mardi Gras Madness still will include a limbo contest, live music and other activities, officials said.
Lonie Glieberman, president of Mount Bohemia, said this is the 26th year for Mardi Gras Madness, which is the resort’s most popular event of the year.
“People are really upset,” about the canceled aspects, he said.
The emailer asserted that the promotion “exposes the resort to potential civil complaints, enforcement action under state civil rights statutes, and private litigation.”
A similar case in California cost the owners of a nightclub about $7 million. In June, the owners of Omnia Nightclub reached a settlement with two men who sued the business based on a “ladies’ night” promotional event in which women were admitted free of charge but men and nonbinary people had to pay, the San Diego Union Tribune reported.
Glieberman suspects the person who sent the email to Mount Bohemia is less worried about potential discrimination and more concerned about tying up the company’s legal resources.
“That’s the issue with America’s legal system,” Glieberman said. “You can make someone spend a lot of money so even if they win, they don’t really win.”
mreinhart@detroitnews.com
@max_detroitnews
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Michigan resort cancels free ski for women, beads contest at Mardi Gras
Reporting by Max Reinhart, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
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