A movie theater chain announced it would host a few women-only screenings of Wonder Woman — upsetting some men online.
Alamo Drafthouse in Austin recently announced it would celebrate both Wonder Woman’s long-awaited movie and her many female fans by holding a women-only showing of the film.
“Apologies, gentlemen, but we’re embracing our girl power and saying ‘No Guys Allowed’ for one special night at the Alamo Ritz,” the theater said in its announcement. “And when we say ‘People Who Identify As Women Only,’ we mean it. Everyone working at this screening — venue staff, projectionist, and culinary team — will be female.
Wonder Woman is a classic feminist icon and this summer’s film will be the first time she gets her own story on the big screen. Superhero movies are often criticized for their treatment of women, and Alamo wanted to celebrate this occasion.
But this one night of women-focused entertainment was too much for the men of Facebook, who were eager to complain about being left out and accused the chain of “reverse sexism,” according to Entertainment Weekly.
Alamo Drafthouse issued a number of sassy and sarcastic responses to the men whose feelings were hurt.
When one man asked if Alamo had ever hosted a men-only screening, the Alamo Austin Facebook page replied: “We’ve never done showings where you had to be a man to get in, but we *did* show the Entourage movie a few years ago.” And another man who asked if there would be a special screening for just those who identified as clowns got a joke response as well. “We might actually have to steal that clown idea. Thanks Ryan!” Alamo posted.
The anger directed at the theater has not stopped tickets for the all-women screening from selling out. When Alamo put up the first screening, tickets sold out almost immediately, according to EW, and a second showing sold out, too. Now, Alamo Drafthouse in New York has also added a women-only screening, and proceeds will support Planned Parenthood.
Wonder Woman will start playing in theaters for everyone on June 2.
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Write to Abigail Abrams at abigail.abrams@time.com