A type 1 diabetic got kicked out of a SAG screening of “Song Sun Blue.” The reason why? She was trying to bring in snacks to maintain her blood sugar.
In a video posted on Oct. 28, Elle Shaheen (@elle.shaheen) explained how security guards at the Wolf Theatre screening ignored her attempts to explain why she was bringing food into the theater, promptly making her and her boyfriend leave despite her blood sugar dropping.
Since then, the video has gotten over 712,000 views, with many questioning why Wolf Theatre’s security personnel didn’t consider Shaheen’s pleas not to remove her.
Shaheen’s experience
Shaheen said she attended the screening of “Song Sun Blue” at the Wolf Theatre inside the Saban Media Center. The event, hosted by SAG, included a Q&A with the director and cast after the film.
“At the end of the movie, my blood sugar went low,” she said. “I was 61 and dropping. Your blood sugar is supposed to be around 80 for reference. So I was very low.”
She explained that she didn’t have any sugar on hand and told her boyfriend, who quickly left the theater to try and grab something for her. “He comes back with Coke and Skittles,” she said. “And within two minutes we were both kicked out of the theatre…”
Shaheen added that despite explaining the situation countless times, no one would listen. “We tried to explain to several different security guards that I needed it because I’m a type 1 diabetic, and they kicked us out of the screening. The security guard, literally in front of the whole crowd during the Q&A, was waving at us to leave.”
She also added that the security team did not appear to be hired by SAG or the filmmakers. Instead, she theorized that the venue itself hired them. “I understand that this particular theater had rules about no food or drink and that they were very strict,” she said. “I guess I thought, naively, that when explaining the emergency at hand, [they] would’ve understood.”
She described the experience as “crazy” and said it was the first time she had ever been removed from a public event because of her medical needs. “I just wanted to enjoy the Q&A and listen to these people I admire,” she said. “Instead, I ended up crying and feeling humiliated for trying to treat a medical emergency.”
@elle.shaheen Last night, my partner and I were kicked out of the Wolf Theatre at the Saban Media Center for having food I was using to treat a low blood sugar. As part of the Americans With Disabilities Act, I’m allowed to have sugar in any venue. @Emmys / Television Academy @focusfeatures #movie #losangeles #film ♬ original sound – Elle Shaheen ?❤️
ADA compliance—Required to allow food and beverages if diabetic?
Many comments pointed out that the Wolf Theatre violated the Americans with Disabilities Act. “It’s a violation of ADA laws,” said one commenter. “They are required by law to accommodate your disability.”
And that commenter was right.
People with type 1 or type 2 diabetes sometimes need to bring food or drinks to events. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, they’re allowed to carry and consume these items in public places, even if the business normally restricts outside food or beverages.
That’s because a movie theater qualifies as a “business that’s open to the public.”
Ada.gov does clarify that “a business does not need to modify a policy if it would fundamentally alter the nature of the business’s goods or services.” But a movie theater still makes income from ticket sales. While movie theaters make a fortune on selling over-priced popcorn, their main function is arguably to provide a screening experience.
The Mary Sue has reached out to Shaheen via TikTok and the Television Academy for comment.
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