It's now against the law to refuse a pregnant woman a drink at any bar in New York

A pregnant woman shows up at a New York City bar and wants to go in and order a drink despite health warnings against consuming alcohol while expecting. Should she be served?



It's against the law to refuse, under city Human Rights Commission guidelines released on Friday. They center on protection for pregnant workers but also say mothers-to-be can't be kept out of bars or denied alcoholic drinks just because they're expecting.

"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" in public venues, the new guidelines say.

With that, the city is squarely taking on a touchy subject that stirs conflicted feelings about pregnancy and personal autonomy. It also has sparked at least one complaint: The commission is looking into a case concerning a pregnant woman denied entry to a bar or club, said Lauren Elfant, an agency lawyer. She wouldn't give more detail because the case is open.

The US Surgeon General and major medical associations say women should avoid alcohol during pregnancy. An American Academy of Pediatrics reiterated the admonition last October.

New York City requires restaurants to post warnings that drinking alcohol during pregnancy can cause birth defects. But such health decisions are up to the woman, not the bartender, rights commission officials say.

The rights commission guidelines, meant to help people interpret a 2013 city law, mostly address pregnant women's rights in the workplace.

"Far too often, pregnant employees are denied basic accommodations in the workplace, unnecessarily putting their pregnancy and health at risk," Carmelyn Malalis, Human Rights commissioner and chairwoman, said in a statement.