The woman was being the Big B, and I don't mean Boss.

Actually, you could have some fun with this... (insert evil smile here)

The next time you're going to that theatre, remove from the bag anything that looks like a weapon, drugs or firestarters.

Then add a few extras. They should be as senseless and inoffensive as you can make them: a small teddy bear, a couple of adult diapers, a whole box of paper clips, a notepad and pens, a wool cap, some 1/4" carriage bolts, etc, twelve pairs of prescription glasses from a thrift shop. Etc.

Then walk in. If they pull the same thing this time, politely ask them to call the police, or ask if they want you to do it. Let the police search your bag.

She will probably end up looking like an idiot.

Sue, who likes to tease fools

I would first complain to higher managment. But one would do it as a solicitors letter.
For:
Sex discrimination.
Libel/slander/defamation/breach of her duty of care to you.

Make it extremly clear that you will have satisfaction. One way or another, and the only satisfaction you will accept is her dismissal.

I think you're over-reacting. The manager was caught enforcing a vague no handbags policy, and gave up when you called her on it. While she is the manager she is probably not the source of the policy - she certainly wasn't the source of proper or equiptable enforcement. If you return to this theater you will probably not be called on the presence of your Jumbo again. I suggest continue going to the movies as you usually do, and if you get called out again for carrying your Jumbo, then take it up with whatever level of management you want.

fwiw the Jumbo is advertised as a great CCW pack, maybe the manager recognized it as such. If they had a no firearms policy, it would have been correct for her to point this out to you, and ask for any firearms to be kept outside the theater. (Since this is a purely hypothetical issue let's avoid the discussion of whether a public theater can or should enforce a ban on firearms).

JohnE, the ADA has nothing to do with this situation, he wasn't asking for an accomodation (seating for mobility impaired, assistance for hearing impaired etc) to view the movie.

A Jumbo is one of those military-style bags, isn't it? If you were profiled as a trouble-maker, I doubt you could claim sexual discrimination. Legally I don't think you have a leg to stand on, so if you take it further you probably should be very, very polite about it.

Personally I like to be discrete and low-profile. I don't want stuff I carry to be upsetting movie theatre staff; that's not what I'm about.

I don't think the state AG is the way to go.

Go to the district manager of the theater. My brother used to work for Edward's Cinema (about 8 years ago), and most theaters are set up in a heriarchy. I'd go a day when this gal isn't on duty, talk to the GM on duty and ask him for the District Manager's contact info.

And probably ask for the name of the manager you had problems with, so you can complain properly. Follow up the phone call with a written letter for her personnel file.

My point about the ADA was that it is one example where private businesses do not have the right to refuse service to anyone at any time for any reason as someone asserted earlier. Never claimed or implied that the original poster should attempt to use the ADA in this case.

Well, since you asked, I think I would have to vote for over-reacting.
Obviously, I was not there to experience the whole situation, and I might have felt the same in your shoes.
But, I just don't know if it would be worth my time to challenge or argue that any further.

For a movie theater, I would probably carry a small flashlight in one of my pockets, so I could find the door in the event of an emergency... and then get to my bag/supplies in my car if needed.
Or course, if you're talking about a "big city public transportation" scenario where you have no backup available... that would present a whole different challenge.

One thing to keep in mind is that dealing with the "public" can be a really tough job sometimes; and there is no telling what that manager may have had to deal with recently (or earlier that day) that may have triggered a negative reaction to your bag.
Unfortunately, she may not have handled the situation in the best way; but, unless she was just way out of line, I would probably just try to give her a break and move on.

No. You are not over-reacting.

I had something similar happen to me.

Went into a local grocery store and the rent-a-cop very forcefully told me I had to leave my Fatboy at the front desk.

Being caught off guard since this was the first problem I had is the several years I've been carrying a "man-bag", I left my bag at the front desk after pulling my wallet out, completed my purchase with everyone looking at me, and developed a serious case of the reda$$ on the drive home.

There were women there that had purses big enough to fit me and my Fatboy in walking around unchallenged...

Called the manager, found out that was the store policy.

I raised hell, got no apology, and will not be back in that store ever...

Since then, I've been practicing in my head for when the next time someone calls me down for carrying it... if they want my business, then they want my bag...

Lon, that is the one excuse I won't accept. I can take anything else, but NOT "my day sucks and you were a handyvictim". I work tech support. My customers lie to me, cry to me, threaten me, and refuse to listen to me when I'm trying save their jobs and their 30 year contracts when they've broken federal law. And that doesn't even include the people who say "how do I right click?" and "do I have to be online to send email?" I have to be nice, I have to be polite, I have to take it with a smile and keep rolling and not let it effect my next call. It isn't that hard to be professional.

Sorry, bad customer service annoys me. Good customer service is something I talk to managers about to- I'm also a pretty good tipper. But the thing that set me off was that if my Jumbo isn't reasonable, then why is a backpack several times larger? Or does "reasonable" change when you have a beard rather than breasts?

I own an olive green "Jumbo' but do not EDC it or any other bag, I do the "scattered about my pockets" method.

Since this post I noticed that many large stores in my area have a "No Backpack/Duffle Bag" sign at the front enterance, I suspect it is to cut-down on shoplifting.

At one local grocery store near the high school, there was a heap of teenager's backpacks in the lobby, while the kids were in eating at the deli snack bar. Knowing the value of the equipment in an EDC bag there is no way I would be leaving my bag in this unsecure pile.

I saw LOTS of BIG purses carried by ladies in all of these stores?

Mike