Dear Urban Diplomat: I’m eight months pregnant—can a waiter refuse to serve me a glass of wine?
Dear Urban Diplomat, I’m eight months pregnant and recently went out for dinner with my girlfriends in Leslieville. I ordered a glass of wine, and the server—a poncey kid of maybe 22—said, “Sorry, I’m not comfortable with that,” and cut me off. I was floored. Can he do that?
—Wine Not, Distillery District
Since you’re an adult and have access to the internet and an obstetrician, I won’t wade into the odd-drink-whilst-preggo debate. And, clearly, you’ve already landed on one side of the fence. As for the overeager server: can he do that? Not without risking a legal smackdown from the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario. Services like restaurants can’t discriminate because of race, colour, creed, sexual orientation, age, gender, disability or fecundity. The Human Rights Legal Support Centre would likely help you file a complaint for free. If that sounds like overkill, it’s because it is. Repeat your request, calmly and firmly. Should the little turd persist, ask to speak to his manager.
Send your questions to the Urban Diplomat at urbandiplomat@torontolife.com
