Would They Ask a Man That? Inside Gender Discriminatory Hiring Practices
That illegal interview question? It's still happening. And only 3 Days left to support the AntiSexist AntiRacist ProEquality Beer Club Merch Fundraiser!
Hey, it’s Ash (she/her), founder of Women of the Bevolution. For transparency this post starts off with my own personal story during my career in the music industry.
“But don’t you want a family?” he asked during the job interview.
I was 10 minutes in, sharing my experience and aspirations to pivot into artist management, when the (male) owner of the company—also the executive decision-maker—cut me off with that question.
He followed it up with, “I know it would be hard for my wife to be away from her children.”
This happened 10 years ago, but it could just as easily have been last week. Because discriminatory hiring practices persist—especially in industries like music, alcohol, and hospitality, where women continue to face significant barriers to entry and advancement.
The Hiring Gap: By the Numbers:
🔹 Women are 30% less likely to be called for interviews in male-dominated industries when their gender is identifiable on the resume (Source: National Bureau of Economic Research, 2021)
🔹 Only 2.9% of breweries in the United States are fully owned by women, with discriminatory hiring practices cited as a primary barrier to industry entry (Source: Brewers Association, 2021)
🔹 60% of women report being asked discriminatory questions in interviews about their family status or plans (Source: Workplace Equity Survey, 2022)
🔹 Women hold just 23% of C-suite roles in hospitality despite making up the majority of the workforce, and only one out of 31 CEO positions are held by women (Source: Castell Project, 2021)
🔹 The most significant barrier for women establishing a career in bartending is employer bias (30%), followed by customer bias/expectations (24%) and expectations around families (19%). (Source: Tales of the Cocktail Foundation, 2016)
🔹 Studies show that mothers are 50% less likely to be called for interviews than equally qualified fathers. (Source: Harvard Business Review)
Common Gender Discriminatory Hiring Practices:
🔹 Direct Discrimination:
Asking about family planning
Questioning commitment based on gender
Making assumptions about travel or hours
Inquiring about childcare arrangements
🔹 Indirect Discrimination:
Using gendered language in job descriptions
Requiring unnecessary physical requirements
Setting arbitrary availability expectations
Emphasizing "culture fit" based on male-dominated norms
I’ve spoken to so many women who have been asked in interviews:
🔹 “Do you plan on getting pregnant?”
🔹 “Do you have kids?”
🔹 “How will you balance work and family?”
These questions aren't just inappropriate—they're illegal. In the US, The Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA) and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act prohibits employers from:
Questions about pregnancy or family planning
Discrimination based on gender in hiring
Different standards for different genders
Assumptions about capability based on family status
Yet, it happens all the time, by companies finding ways around these protections through:
Coded language
Unofficial "cultural fit" assessments
Post-interview discrimination
Hidden biases in the selection process
🚨 What can job seekers do?
1️⃣ Know your rights.
Document discriminatory questions
Request written feedback
Save all communication
Report violations to HR or legal authorities
2️⃣ Access Support
Request legal aid through the National Women’s Law Center here.
If you work in the beverage industry, submit for assistance through The Bevolution Brave Voices Fund—a collaboration with Another Round Another Rally, which helps women and nonbinary beverage industry professionals who have faced sexual harassment, gender or racial discrimination and seek assistance leaving toxic workplaces.
🚨 What can companies hiring do?
1️⃣ Examine Your Process
Audit your interview questions
Review job descriptions for bias
Track diversity metrics
Implement structured interviews
2️⃣ Make Systemic Changes
Establish clear hiring criteria
Create accountability measures
Provide bias training
Set diversity, equity and inclusion goals
Let's Discuss:
🔹 Interview Experiences: What discriminatory questions have you encountered in hiring processes?
🔹 Industry Patterns: How does hiring discrimination manifest in your specific industry?
🔹 Successes: What hiring practices have you seen effectively combat discrimination?
🔹 Red Flags: What signs of discrimination should job seekers watch for?
🔹 Changemakers: How have you challenged discriminatory hiring practices in your organization?
This isn't just about individual experiences, it's about changing an entire system of discriminatory hiring practices that keep qualified candidates out of opportunities they deserve.
Share your experiences, strategies, and solutions in the comments or email us!
Thank you for your time reading this and subscribing to The Bevolution. If you have a story or topic you’d like us to spotlight, let’s connect! Reach out to us at WomenoftheBevolution@gmail.com.
Are you part of the AntiSexist AntiRacist ProEquality Beer Club?
The 2025 kick-off fundraiser only has a few days left. Help us bring awareness and raise funds for Another Round Another Rally and Equality Now!
By purchasing an item from the AntiSexist AntiRacist ProEquality Beer Club merch fundraiser, you are actively supporting efforts to create a safer, more inclusive beer industry. Your contribution helps amplify awareness of the critical changes needed and stands in solidarity with individuals who have courageously shared their experiences of harassment and discrimination.
A portion of the proceeds will fund organizations, initiatives, and programs committed to fostering inclusion, establishing safe spaces, and providing essential aid and resources to survivors of sexual abuse, as well as gender and racial discrimination. Together, we can champion equity and drive meaningful change.
Donations will be allocated by the percentage of total proceeds from this fundraiser:
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30% will go to Equality Now
20% Brave Noise & Women of the Bevolution
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ABOUT THE CAUSES:
Another Round Another Rally: Another Round Another Rally is a nonprofit financial and educational resource for the hospitality industry. They provide reimbursement grants and immersive educational scholarships to further the education of historically excluded voices in the community, and supply emergency assistance to those employed in restaurants, bars, and hotels who have fallen on unexpected hardship.
As a result of the craft beer #MeToo movement in 2021, ARAR, Brave Noise and Women of the Bevolution collaborated on the Bevolution Brave Voices Relief Fund, which is an ongoing fund to provide women and nonbinary alcohol/beverage industry professionals with financial assistance and resources to help them leave toxic work environments and move forward. Learn more here.
Equality Now: Nonprofit organization campaigning for legal and systemic change to address violence and discrimination against women and girls around the world.
Equality Now is a feminist organization using the law to protect and promote the human rights of all women and girls. We create, reform, challenge, and apply the law to establish enduring equality for women and girls everywhere.
The Bevolution Creators in Bev Grant Program is relaunching soon!
The program is dedicated to providing a platform for women and non-binary beverage industry professionals who are creating and carving their own paths in the beverage world. This grant offers amplification, financial aid, and mentorship. Are you interested in getting involved?
Be a mentor! Get involved and support other women and non-binary beverage industry professionals through mentorship.
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