At some point, people have to start thinking first. As mistreating people goes viral on social media pretty quickly these days.
Pet World told teen she couldn’t work until she removed her faux locks
MENOMONEE FALLS, WISCONSIN – A young woman who works at a pet store, says her employer wouldn’t allow her to clock in for work, because of her faux dreadlocks.
On November 17, 19-year-old Destini Briggs, says she paid $150 to get faux dreadlocks, and walked away a happy customer, until she got to work.
We she attempted to clock in for her shift at Pet World, the teen says she wasn’t allowed to clock in for her shift, unless she changed her hair.
Destini had no idea, her boss would have a problem with her african-amarican hairstyle.
“‘You can’t have your hair like that. You have to take it out,’” said Briggs. “So I called my mom and told her what happened.”
Destini Brigg’s mom wasn’t having it
“I was very shocked,” said Starla Henderson, Briggs’ mother. “You’re selling dog food, you’re cleaning bird poop out of a cage. You’re picking worms out of the box. I don’t know who it bothered.”
Starla Henderson says she and her daughter confronted the store manager, who explained to them that the employee handbook states, “hair is to be natural color and an appropriate style for a retail setting.” Briggs and Henderson say the dreadlocks meet both of those requirements.
“I think it’s appropriate for anything. It’s not too long, I can pull it back, won’t get in the way of anything,” said Briggs.
“I just want to expose this discrimination. I think that it was an ambiguous statement. If you want someone to adhere to the rule book, then it needs to be very plain and simple for everyone to understand,” said Henderson.
The two took to social media to share the experience. They argue the issue is much bigger than a dress code dispute.
“You’re telling us how we, meaning African-American people — because this is more something that is from our culture — what’s appropriate and what’s not. This is her freedom to express her black culture,” said Henderson.
Police were eventually called to the store that day to help resolve the dispute.
Ridiculous! Like people will avoid buying pets because of faux locks? The manager needs to be fired.