Two separate class action lawsuits have been filed against Uber Technologies Inc. and Lyft Inc. by male drivers who claim that the companies’ women-only ride-hailing features discriminate against them based on gender. These policies enable users to request that their driver be female, a functionality that was introduced in response to thousands of sexual harassment and assault complaints targeting ride-share drivers over the years.
The plaintiffs argue that by allowing passengers to select women drivers exclusively, male drivers are deprived of equal access to trips, thereby negatively impacting their earning potential. Their legal teams assert that the policies perpetuate harmful gender stereotypes by implying that men are inherently more dangerous than women, which they say violates anti-discrimination laws.
Filed in California, the lawsuits point to the state’s robust civil rights legislation, particularly the Unruh Act, which explicitly bans sex discrimination by business establishments. The lawsuits seek statutory damages of $4,000 for each affected male driver within the state. While only two drivers are named plaintiffs for each company’s lawsuit, the cases estimate that hundreds of thousands of male drivers nationwide could be affected.
TIME reached out to both Uber and Lyft for comment regarding these legal actions, but no official responses were provided at the time of reporting.
The contested women-only driver preference features have been rolled out in various U.S. cities, including San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Detroit for Uber since their introduction in July. Lyft launched a similar offering called "Women+ Connect" earlier this year in select cities such as Chicago, Phoenix, San Diego, San Francisco, and San Jose. These initiatives enable women and non-binary passengers to request rides with drivers matching their gender identity.
When Uber first introduced this option, the company cited direct feedback from women riders and drivers requesting more control over with whom they share rides. The program was initially piloted in Saudi Arabia in 2019 following the nation’s landmark decision to grant women the right to drive.
Several nonprofit organizations expressed support for Lyft’s Women+ Connect program, highlighting its inclusivity towards transgender and non-binary people. Representatives from the Human Rights Campaign, the National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives, and the National Sheriffs’ Association Traffic Safety Committee applauded the decision as a positive step in making ridesharing safer and more accessible for marginalized groups.
Despite the supportive statements from users and advocacy groups, the lawsuits assert that these gender-based preferences contradict California’s anti-discrimination statutes and ultimately penalize male drivers by limiting their ride opportunities and earnings. The plaintiffs claim that the feature effectively institutionalizes gender bias within the ride-hailing platforms.
Female users of the women-only feature have voiced strong support for the program, citing personal experiences with discomfort and anxiety during rides with male drivers. For example, Celeste Juarez, 28, told TIME that she regularly selects women drivers for safety reasons and believes the lawsuits overlook the necessity of such options for vulnerable riders, especially during late-night trips.
Safety concerns have been central to the introduction of these features. Uber’s most recent U.S. Safety Report covering 2021 to 2022 documented 2,717 incidents of severe sexual assault or misconduct reported on its platform, with 68% of the allegations directed at drivers. The most common offenses involved non-consensual touching and penetration, with women constituting 89% of survivors.
Similarly, Lyft’s 2021 safety report indicated over 1,800 sexual assault reports for 2019 alone, and 4,000 such reports from 2017 to 2019. These statistics underscore the companies’ impetus to implement measures aimed at protecting female riders and drivers.
Additional safety concerns have been raised about overall driver well-being. A report highlighted that 50 Uber and Lyft drivers were killed while working between 2017 and 2022, prompting broader questions about safety regulations in the gig economy marketplace.
In related court proceedings, U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer, who is presiding over more than 2,300 lawsuits against Uber for passenger sexual assault claims, has indicated that the absence of gender matching functionalities could potentially contribute to liability issues for the company.
The rollout of women-only and women plus non-binary ride preferences has not been without controversy beyond the legal challenges. Conservative entities such as the Heritage Foundation have publicly opposed these features, arguing they constitute sex discrimination under the law. The Foundation’s commentary, produced by legal fellows Hans A. von Spakovsky and Sarah Parshall Perry, suggests that the policy empowers drivers to discriminate against male riders and compares the approach unfavorably to historical racial discrimination by taxi drivers.
Public figures aligned with the alt-right have also criticized Lyft’s Women+ Connect program upon its launch earlier this year. Despite the political backlash, Uber and Lyft maintain that the features respond directly to user demand and are designed to enhance safety and comfort for women and non-binary riders, aiming to create a more secure environment within ride-hailing services for those demographics.