To think it's ridiculous that they wouldn't cut my DD's hair?

[FrangipaniDeLaSqueegeeMop]

Took my kids (DD who is 8 and DS who is 5) to a new barbers down the road today for haircuts. I'd booked in 2 kids haircuts on their website, but when I got there I was told "We can only cut your sons hair as we don't do girl's hair". I said I only wanted a trim round the bottom of it, half an inch, really simple haircut and was told no.

The things is, my kids have the same hairstyle!! Both have shoulder length bobs, except DS has a fringe and DD doesn't. They cut DS's hair no problem and I sat wondering what it was about my DD's biology that made them unable to cut her hair in the same way as my son's.

AIBU to think this is quite ridiculous? Unless there's some genuinely good reason to do with the material difference between male hair and female hair? It reminds me of a colleague who once came back to the staff room ranting after getting her (very short, like a Sue Perkins hair cut) hair cut because although it was the exact same trim as the bloke in the chair next to her except he paid £8 and she paid £21!

[Yummymummy2020]

This is a bit mad isn’t it!!! I have heard similar stories and it sounds like a pain when all you want is a trim on her hair!!!

[FrangipaniDeLaSqueegeeMop]

I feel like I shouldn't have mentioned their names - I went in and said this is "VeeyBoyLikeName and VeryGirlLikeName" in an attempt to be helpful/friendly...but DD wears all black all the time, right down to her trainers, there's nothing "feminine" about her at all, she could probably pass as a boy if no one questioned it

[Eyevorbig0ne]

Odd.
Our barbers chopped my girls hair from v long to v short. No bother.

[Beseigedbykillersquirrels]

Oh that is absolutely ridiculous! Utterly maddening. Completely senseless

[ElephantsNest]

It’s ridiculous and sexist that the same cut is either not possible or costs more due to the sex of the client. Since the first lockdown I’ve learnt to cut my own hair and I get more compliments than when I used to pay £35 for a cut and blow dry. Their loss.

[LesterKnopf]

It is ridiculous. I would have refused to give them my business at all and left. The cut was quite simple, not a complicated 'girls' one they wouldn't have done before because they don't have girl customers. Also, I would have had a very disappointed dd who had to be told she couldn't have a hair cut cos she was a girl. If they had even just specified 'boys cut' on the website rather than 'kids,' at least I would have known beforehand to take my business elsewhere.

[FrangipaniDeLaSqueegeeMop]

Oh and this will make you all chuckle - re my colleague, when she asked why the hair cut prices were different for the same style she was told "It takes a lot of skill to make a woman's short hair look feminine, whereas you just chop away at a bloke's hair"

[Sadsiblingatsea]

Computer says no. How ridiculous.

[worriedatthemoment]

Aren't barbers trained differently to hairdressers though?

[Thesearmsofmine]

If they have the same haircut then it’s ridiculous. My ds with longer hair goes to a hairdresser and the other two with short go to the barber.

[ladywithnomanors]

I personally wouldn’t take my Dd’s to a barbers for a haircut. Barbers cut men’s hair.

[ElephantsNest]

Be interested to hear what barbers / hairdressers think...

[worriedatthemoment]

Also its well known barbers are generally mens where as hairdressers are unisex , so why not just book in at the local hairdressers , rather than barbers

[Mumdiva99]

A barber local to us got in trouble for cutting ladies hair. I assumed it was ro do with his lease and the land lord as there was a hair dressers also in the parade. He ended up having to move premises and is really strict about not doing ladies. (Which was really annoying when my hair was short as they had great barbers in there).

[Jumpers268]

It is ridiculous considering they both have the same hairstyle but I can't imagine going to a barber and asking for a haircut. No idea why though; apart from barbers being just for men and hairdressers being, normally, both. Weird.

[FrangipaniDeLaSqueegeeMop]

@LesterKnopf well I will be voting with my feet and won't go again. Was trying to support the new barbers, as my usual one (who cut DD's hair) is closed at the moment. And I would've left had DS's fringe not been in his eyes 😬

DD was pretty annoyed, i had to explain when we came home that places like this are sexist and although I allowed her brother's hair to be cut as a one off to basically prevent an eye infection, that I won't be going again because I don't support sexist businesses. Every cloud I guess - shes at that age now where sadly she understands and experiences sexism and I do like an opportunity for us to discuss it with real life examples rather than me boring her to death about what other people have experienced.

[FrangipaniDeLaSqueegeeMop]

@worriedatthemoment

Also its well known barbers are generally mens where as hairdressers are unisex , so why not just book in at the local hairdressers , rather than barbers

My usual place that I've gone to for years is a barbers, I didn't actually think that children applied to the 'men only' rule because children aren't men!

[MyDogIsDrivingMeMad]

YANBU.

I've heard of men-only barber shops, but are there any salons that refuse to cut men's hair? Maybe it's not uncommon, but it's probably been more than 15 years since I went to a salon, and I didn't go often before that, either, so I'm not familiar with how things are done, these days.

[Dailywalk]

Yanbu
Does seem completely odd but a barber I know won’t do girls hair even as a one off because he says it’ll really put off the usual clientele. There’s no logic in it really but just trying to put across their possible point of view.

[Ohmygodyesthatsit]

Barbers are only trained in male cutting I presume their insurance doesn't cover them for female hair. Beauty/ hair insurance is very specific.

[FrangipaniDeLaSqueegeeMop]

Re the barber who got into trouble - Surely, surely, penalising businesses for providing their services to two sexes and not just one is discriminatory?

I understand when it's bikini waves as scrotums are a completely different kettle of fish to female genitalia. But Isn't head hair just head hair?

[NewlyGranny]

Just tell the barber, "It's OK, DD is identifying as a boy today!"

Job done. If they don't fall into line smartish, they're transphobes and bigots, right?

[covetingthepreciousthings]

Someone I know has short hair, shorter than a bob and also with an under cut, she went to a barbers to ask if they'd do it for her thinking she'd save a bit of money.. they refused and stated they can't cut any ladies hair because of insurance purposes they aren't allowed to - presumably because they're only insured for men!?

It's bonkers really!

[FrangipaniDeLaSqueegeeMop]

@Ohmygodyesthatsit

Barbers are only trained in male cutting I presume their insurance doesn't cover them for female hair. Beauty/ hair insurance is very specific.

What if a man had long hair and wanted a cut like this? I used to go out with a bloke who had hair like this!