The Wrong Sex

New York is full of private, exclusive clubs. One of the perks of being a reporter is you get to eat in them if they are hosting a press conference or other such function. It is an important way the clubs earn money aside from member fees.

So I have eaten at the Harvard Club on West 44 Street in midtown Manhattan, although I am not an alum of that Massachusetts institution of higher learning, and I have eaten at the Union League Club on Park Avenue and East 37th Street, where the only Black people I saw were the white-gloved waiters.

The University Club of New York as seen in 
A monograph of the work of McKim, Mead & White, 1879-1915 (public domain picture)

I don't remember the food being particularly spectacular at these places, but eating wasn't the reason I was there.

These private, exclusive clubs offer members a place to sleep if they are in the city - the Yale Club is conveniently close by Grand Central Terminal where the New Haven commuter train terminates - spas and gyms, and meeting rooms for private and, in my case, public functions. 

The one that sticks in my mind is the University Club, at One West 54th Street and 5th Avenue, a very tony address. The Beaux Art building, by McKim, Mead and White, was finished in 1899 and could've easily fit in with the mansions that once lined 5th Avenue - all of which have since been replaced by office buildings and retailers. Members included Mark Twain, Theodore Roosevelt, John D. Rockefeller and J.P. Morgan - the rich and the famous.

According to its website, the club offers "gracious dining, luxurious accommodations and a variety of social events, to extensive athletic facilities and the world's largest and finest club library."

Ah, yes, the library.

I was an an insurance-related function on the second floor. Also attending was another woman reporter for a different insurance publication. We've been to many together and were friends. After the function was over we went downstairs. I was trying to organize my papers so I led her into the library. It was a huge, book-lined place, complete with English club atmosphere and wing chairs. At the other end of the big room were two men with newspapers who could've been Dr. Watson and Sherlock Holmes. They seemed disturbed by our presence. 

I soon learned why: The equivalent of an English butler came to us and apologetically but firmly told us we could not stay in the library. He led us to a smaller, light green room.

The ladies lounge, off the bathroom. The library was only for members - men.

My colleague and I did not make a fuss that day long ago, but others have, including the City of New York, which said the club was not following the city's public accommodations law that had been amended in 1984. The law had previously exempted "distinctly private" clubs like the University. The amendment, however, changed the definition of "distinctly private."

An institution, club or place of accommodation shall not be considered in its nature distinctly private if it has more than four hundred members, provides regular meal service and regularly receives payment for dues, fees, use of space, facilities, services, meals or beverages directly or indirectly from or on behalf of nonmembers for the furtherance of trade or business.

Women weren't being excluded from staying in, and paying for, the hotel rooms, I'm sure. They weren't excluded from the public meeting or banquet rooms. But they couldn't be in the club facilities, including the library.

The law was immediately challenged in state court by the New York State Club Association, which includes the University and Union League clubs. As that case went on the association filed a federal action in New York, seeking a declaratory judgment that the new definition of "distinctly private" was unconstitutional on its face and as applied to them, and a permanent injunction blocking the administrative proceedings against them.

After all the lawsuits and counter-lawsuits, the clubs lost in federal and state court.

I haven't been in one of these clubs in decades, so I have no idea how many members are now women. But on the University Club's website I find this:

The University Club of New York is committed to fostering diversity and inclusion within its membership. The club welcomes individuals from all backgrounds and strives to create an inclusive environment where everyone feels valued and respected.

Diversity is not only celebrated but also seen as a strength that enriches the club’s community.

This commitment to diversity is reflected in the club’s programming and events, which aim to appeal to a wide range of interests and backgrounds. The University Club of New York understands that fostering a sense of belonging and inclusivity is essential to creating a vibrant and thriving community.

I notice that nowhere on the site is the word "sex" mentioned.