Is this an example gender discrimination? Don't bald men work at restaurants?

Question

"A 36-year-old waitress at an Owen Sound, Ont., restaurant lost her job this week after she shaved her head to raise money for a cancer charity.

Stacey Fearnall said it was a 'pretty easy thing' to shave her head to raise money for cancer research, but was stunned when her boss fired her over it. (CBC)Stacey Fearnall raised more than $2,700 for the charity Cops for Cancer, a local fundraiser for cancer research.

Then the 36-year-old waitress at Nathaniels restaurant was laid off when she showed up for work earlier this week with her newly shorn look.

Up until a week ago, Fearnall had long red locks, but she said she made the decision to have her head shaved because she has a friend battling cancer and she lost her father to the disease.

She said she told her bosses what she was planning to do, but when she arrived at work at the restaurant practically bald, she said they sent her home and told her she wasn't welcome back.

Answer 1

that's terrible! especially if she told them beforehand. plus hair grows back really quickly (from shaved to short hair). i would definitely say if it had been a man it wouldn't be a problem :-( and if they'd really thought it was a problem she could've worn something over her head / wig > which i think is still daft, but better than firing her!

Answer 2

Bald men, yes. Bald women, obviously not so much dontcha' kno.

Answer 3

It's not sexism, it's hairism. Frankly, I'd think baldness would be an advantage; now she doesn't have to worry about her hair falling in the food.

Answer 4

That's messed up.  If it was such an issue they could have asked her to wear a wig instead of just firing her.

Answer 5

Some restaurants only hire good looking women. (like hooters) They depend on the woman to be good looking. And to some people a bald women is not attractive at all.

Since there is no law about discrimination based on appearance.  I really doubt she can sue.

Edit

The question is, are there men hired there as waitress? If not then how can it be a gender discrimination against women? If at all it would be one against men. She doesn't have a case.

Answer 6

Some places will only hire women for wait staff even though it's discriminatory.

So one way or another it is an example.

I guess there is a potential loophole though - if the dress code requires hair or a wig it might not be.