Or is this discrimination?

[wheresmycake]

I got fed up with brushing hair out of my dd's face and decided to take her to the hairdressers for a trim (she gets upset when i do it and last time i hacked most of her fringe off trying to get it even). I tried a couple of hairdressersbut they wouldn't cut it without an appointment. Fine, i thought, if you don't want my money for something which should take less than 10 minutes I'll try the barber's down the road. They said they don't do girls' hair. Surely they can't refuse our custom because of gender? Its not like she even needed anything fancy which they don't have the skill for - I assume boys get their hair trimmed in the same way...

I tried a couple of hairdressersbut they wouldn't cut it without an appointment

Um, make an appointment then?

Yabu

They can refuse anything they like. They aren't a public service.

Most barbers don't do women/girls hair

I will next time but that wasn't the point of my post...

Of course it isn't discrimination.

I believe it's fine - my hairdresser only does women and I believe most barbers will only do men. I don't believe they have to serve both genders.

Not a lawyer, but I have a memory that personal services - e.g. hairdressing - are exempt from discrimination laws.

Of course, if your DD was TG/TS/TV ...

It is discrimination but it's not unlawful discrimination.

They can refuse anything they like. They aren't a public service.

That isn't the criteria. If they refused to serve a gay person, they'd be in the do-do ....

Well I'd imagine if you want a boy style cut into your dd's hair then a barbers is a good shout. However they probably haven't trained in long hair and fringes seeing as one doesn't find them on many blokes.

Just make an appointment.

Are you being serious or did I miss that this post was lighthearted?

Also, I find this great invention called hair clips works wonders for hair in faces.

Barbers are only trained to cut men's/boys styles. Hairdresser's training is far more extensive and covers a wider range of styles.
I used to be taken to the barber's as a little girl and I was given a short back and sides just as a boy would be. Is that what you want for your daughter? If so you are not being unreasonable but asking for a fringe to be trimmed sounds more hairdressery to me.

Tell them she identifies as a boy?

My hair is short back and sides, whereas my DSs have long hair. The one time DS1 had his cut at a barbers was not a success. So maybe they should specify they only cut short hair rather than only men/boys...?

I don't think you'd have much luck getting a cute little pixie cut at a barbers either. They do what they do but that's all they do.

Sounds like someone is being a skinflint. Just book an appointment.

Surely everyone knows you need to make an appointment at a hair salon?

I thought that hairdressers / barbers were one of the few professions allowed to discriminate against customers on the grounds of their sex? So they're legally allowed to refuse to serve females if they specialise in doing male haircuts and vice versa?

Surely everyone knows you need to make an appointment at a hair salon?

There's a (unisex) hairdressing chain near me that has a policy of no appointments, just turn up and wait. Although I agree that's unusual.

Barbering (as opposed to hairdressing) requires specific qualifications and they can accept/decline clients if they like, if they feel it is not within their capability/skill.

I've had my hair cut at a barber's - but to be fair, I just went in and asked for them to shave it with the clippers on a number 2 cut. Nothing elaborate.

I think its a training issue too, well maybe. My brother is a hairdresser and he is often terrified of being accused of discrimination because he is only qualified and capable of cutting one type (think ethnicity) of hair.