As John Donzelli was waiting in line to get into a local bar, he witnessed one of DeKalb’s recurring phenomenons.

A group of young women in line before him were unquestionably let into the bar, Donzelli said. He had previously overheard them expressing concerns about using their fake I.D.’s.

When Donzelli presented his legal I.D., things didn’t go so smoothly. The bouncer asked him many questions and actually took away the I.D. after he couldn’t remember where his license was issued.

Donzelli is among many who say they have seen gender play a role when bars bend the rules.

Donzelli said he has also seen many of his friends who are females receive free drinks.

“I’ve never seen a guy receive a free drink the way I’ve seen women get drinks,” Donzelli said.

At some bars, women have been known to receive cheaper or free cover charges and drinks.

“My ex-girlfriend, all she does is brag about how she used to get free drinks,” Donzelli said.

Otto’s manager Rob Clark says that they have no special discounts for women that they advertise.

“I’m sure it happens,” Clark said. “Bartenders may give women half-off drinks or free drinks if they’re good-looking.”

A Starbusters manager who didn’t want to give his name said everything is equal for men and women because anything otherwise is illegal. He denied that any of the bartenders would give any sort of discount to women.

“They would be fired,” he said.

Lynn Kamenitsa, associate professor of political science and women’s studies said the main motivation may be to get women to go to the bars or make sure they stay.

It would seem obvious why bartenders would give good-looking women free drinks. However, something else must be going on because of the alcohol, Kamenitsa said.

“Pretty women don’t get discounts at Starbucks,” Kamenitsa said.

There is also Ladies Night, when bar owners advertise cheaper prices for women to get more women in the club.

The idea to pack in women for men, though, is problematic, Kamenitsa said.

“The question is whether there’s an unofficial policy to keep women at bars or really just bartenders playing favorites,” Kamenitsa said.

Since bartending is hard to regulate, Kamenitsa said bars are more susceptible to discrimination.

Of course this is not the first time women have been given discounts on alcohol and it’s likely that it will continue.

Donzelli said that it doesn’t stop him from going to the bars.

“I don’t expect it to change anytime soon,” Donzelli said.