I took DS (9) to the barber's this afternoon. It's a shop we've used a few times before, now that he's pretty much aged out of the designated kiddy hairdresser, which is also a bit of a drive away, whereas this one is local and you can usually book in the day before. The shop is part of a chain. We've booked in with the two female barbers there previously but they were already booked up for today so I booked in with a guy. First time a man's cut my son's hair but he seemed perfectly lovely and took his time to do a really nice job on my son's hair.
So the problem I have is that the barber was wearing shorts showing a large tattoo of Andrew Tate on his lower leg. This had no impact on my son's experience at all, but made me feel uneasy that my son was in the company of a man who chooses to act as a human billboard for a misogynistic arsehole in his place of work, and worrying that this man can sport this tattoo so overtly with nobody batting an eyelid. And by paying for his services I am supporting him. I might be more sensitive to this today, as this morning I had a conversation with a colleague whose family member is in a coercive relationships with an Andrew Tate supporter and the details of this were really unpleasant.
I am not sure what my AIBU is. I won't book in with this barber again, but not sure if I should also avoid the whole shop due to their seeming acceptance of the casual misogyny. Is this just what barber shops are like or is this likely to be a one-off arsehole?
Also I feel confused. Surely any woman is going to run a mile from any man who supports Andrew Tate to the extent that he has him tattooed on his leg. Or as an Andrew Tate supporter is he so confident in his abilities to control and abuse women that he doesn't feel the badge of honour will hamper his efforts? I feel slightly regretful that I didn't ask him.