Women-only screenings of Wonder Woman provoke male outrage on social media

Plans by a Texas theatre to host women-only screenings of the action movie Wonder Woman unleashed an outpouring of complaints on social media of discrimination and sexism on Friday.

The superhero movie opens in theatres nationwide next week, and the Alamo Drafthouse Ritz in Austin, Texas scheduled two female-only nights for a few days later.

When your screenings of #WonderWoman just for women sell out in an hour pic.twitter.com/rH7Mdim8fI

— Alamo Drafthouse NYC (@AlamoNYC) May 26, 2017

We heard your complaints have taken swift & decisive action. Another women-only #WonderWoman show on sale now! https://t.co/ILueTsJH6R pic.twitter.com/6HAuYi6fQG

— Alamo Drafthouse NYC (@AlamoNYC) May 26, 2017

“Apologies, gentlemen, but we’re embracing our girl power and saying ‘No Guys Allowed,’” the cinema wrote on its website.

The movie, starring Israeli actor Gal Gadot, is based on a comic book character introduced in 1941, fighting villains, rescuing victims and unearthing evil plots.

“How about a ‘men’s only’ showing of a movie or is that not how equality works?” someone wrote on the cinema chain’s Austin Facebook page, where more than 1,000 people left comments.

The popularity of the women-only shows, which quickly sold out, prompted the chain to add similar screenings in New York.

“This has zip to do with equality. This is a celebration of a character that’s meant a great deal to many women,” the theatre said on Facebook.

The movie already triggered controversy last year when the character of Wonder Woman was chosen as an honorary UN ambassador to fight for gender equality.

Tens of thousands of people signed an online petition, saying the fictional character was an inappropriate choice and that its evolution into a scantily clad and curvaceous heroine did not represent gender empowerment.

The United Nations abruptly ended the character’s role two months into her appointment.

The men who call us snowflakes are currently on day 3 of crying about not being invited to one all-female screening of Wonder Woman

— Erika Heidewald ? (@erikaheidewald) May 27, 2017

The problem with a women-only "Wonder Woman" screening is they might enjoy it too much and forget that men decide what movies are good.

— Louis Virtel (@louisvirtel) May 27, 2017

I asked my mom what she thought about the Wonder Woman no-dudes showings.

She dropped some ?. pic.twitter.com/FcuMsrQsjU

— Mr. Pete (@petebasgen) May 26, 2017

Theaters:Come see Ghostbusters reboot!
Men: FUCK ACTION MOVIES W/ GIRLS
Theaters: K, you're not invited to Wonder Woman
Men: BUT MY RIGHTS!

— Alana Massey (@AlanaMassey) May 26, 2017

I am going to the Wonder Woman screening for Bavarian auteur directors only.

— Werner Twertzog (@WernerTwertzog) May 27, 2017

Shout out all of the men who are SO MAD about not being able to get into a screening of Wonder Woman that's 6 days after opening. pic.twitter.com/3x3iDWOyYp

— Geek Girl Diva (@geekgirldiva) May 27, 2017

Only thing sadder than people getting upset about women only screenings of Wonder Woman is the me only screening of Elektra that took place

— Mike Lawrence (@TheMikeLawrence) May 26, 2017

I've made a lot of GIFs, but this one is my fave. Tonight it goes out to the guys who are mad about the @drafthouse Wonder Woman screening. pic.twitter.com/QnUJAazJyO

— Swear Trek (@swear_trek) May 27, 2017

Hey @AlamoNYC - if you add another Women Only showing of #WonderWoman ,I'll buy 10 tickets to give away to peeps who cant afford it. ;)

— Cher (@thecherness) May 27, 2017

"Only women are allowed in these screenings for #WonderWoman? What next, Black people only for screenings of #BlackPanther?"

Me: pic.twitter.com/Hq16ju8Ixx

— hellresidentNY (@hellresidentNY) May 26, 2017

All I can think about when I read comments from dudes complaining about ladies-only #WonderWoman screenings: pic.twitter.com/66rv4rYD7m

— Amy Ratcliffe (@amy_geek) May 26, 2017