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!

[SaturdayRocks]

Yeah, that’s nuts.

We have a couple of hairdressers in our village, and one family barbers. I’d say 90% of the barbers’ clientele are men and boys, but they very much pitch themselves as being for everyone.

Bottom line - why on earth would you turn away easy business?!

Why would you effectively say, ‘no, don’t spend your money here! Spend it at my competitor’s down the road’?

[BookishKitten]

It might simply be down to the terms of their lease if they can only cut hair of male persons. Or perhaps the staff there don’t feel comfortable touching a girl’s head (for some religious reason for example).
I would suggest an email to the manager to get to the bottom of it.
Still, I would not dream of taking my daughter to a barber’s because I think they only cut male persons’ hair while hairdressers do both male and female.

[insurancedrama]

DH barber is the same. Will cut my son's but not my daughters. Daughters style is much simpler ie just a simple trim.

[KingdomScrolls]

I think in this example it's silly at they are children and have the same hair style.
However DH used to have longish hair and always went to a hairdresser not a barber as it's a different skill set. Even now he goes to a hairdresser rather than a barber because he doesn't have a standard short back and sides, buzz cut or fade, which is what barbers mainly do (lots of skill in fades etc but very different to hairdressing) DH pays £40 for a haircut, beard trim and eyebrow tidy (and a 'free' beer) , his salon is marketed as a men's hairdresser but they will do short cuts on women.... DF is rapidly losing his hair so keeps it short and one length all over he pays £15 for haircut and ears/nose/eyebrow tidy from a barber. He's in there a lot less time than DH and I'd imagine it's been a very long time since a woman has stepped foot through the door there.

[KizzyMoo]

That's crazy and awful if they had the same styles. Barbering and hairdressing courses are different though I'm a qualified hairdresser and have never cut a mans hair once.

[Bertiebiscuit]

Let them know why you won't be going there again - this is nonsense - they are being ridiculous

[KizzyMoo]

The barbering course taught you how to use clippers. Hairdressing course taught us to cut a straight line and do layers lol

[emilyfrost]

YABU. It’s a barbers. They cut the hair of males.

The fact that they’re children is irrelevant.

[SaltAndVinegarSandwiches]

YANBU. Totally reasonable if they said we don't do long hair but if you just wanted the same cut they did on your DS of course YANBU.

[SaltAndVinegarSandwiches]

@emilyfrost

YABU. It’s a barbers. They cut the hair of males.

The fact that they’re children is irrelevant.

You're being totally irrational and a bit daft here (you probably realise this). Traditionally all boys/men would have short hair and so a barber would only be trained to cut short hair. Women wouldn't have short hair so couldn't go to the barber. Now that's no longer the case. There is no reason the barber couldn't give DD the exact same hair cut he gave DS.

[Saz12]

But, how is male hair different from female???
If a woman went to hairdresser and wanted a “short back and sides” done with clippers, would the hairdresser refuse? Or if a man had long hair and wanted layers would barber refuse?
How is female hair so much more dangerous than male hair such that more ££ insurance is needed...?

I’m completely bamboozled by this.

[Quartz2208]

I dont think it is hair as much as styles. The barber in the OP shouldnt have refused one over the other as they were the same cut. But if a person with long hair went into a barber and asked for a layered bob they could say no because they have no more idea how to do that then a cardiologist could treat cancer. Same if a short haired person went and asked for a short back and sides with clippers of a hairdresser who hadnt been trained in how to do that.

[emilyfrost]

There is no reason the barber couldn't give DD the exact same hair cut he gave DS.


@SaltAndVinegarSandwiches Yes there is, because he didn’t want to. That’s good enough reason.

They’re a barbers, they only cut male hair because that’s their choice. If a female comes in, the age is irrelevant because they don’t cut female hair.

[Jumpers268]

@emilyfrost

There is no reason the barber couldn't give DD the exact same hair cut he gave DS.

*@SaltAndVinegarSandwiches* Yes there is, because he didn’t want to. That’s good enough reason.

They’re a barbers, they only cut male hair because that’s their choice. If a female comes in, the age is irrelevant because they don’t cut female hair.

Would you have to prove you're male? As proven by this thread, thankfully, not all barbers discriminate based on sex.

[gmailconfusion2]

I used to go to a barbers for years for my hair cut, he did one of the best cuts i've ever had. He never complained I was female either!

[Retired65]

This happened to me a long time ago. Above the shop, it had a sign, men & children's, hairdressers. I took both my children to get a haircut, one a girl and the other a boy. My daughter had wet hair as I had just washed it ready to be cut. I was told they only cut men and boys hair. Luckily, there was a woman's hairdresser next door and the hairdresser went and asked if they could fit her in, which they could. I was a bit annoyed at the time and pointed out the sign.

[FinnegansWhiskers]

YANBU. Our local barber won’t cut hair that belongs to a female either. Even when they just want a number 2 all over. Ridiculous! But God Help the hairdresser next door who refuses to cut a blokes hair!

[Frizzit24]

Legally a barber can't refuse to cut a woman's hair simply because she's a woman. Type it in Google. If they refuse on the grounds of gender they are breaking the Equality act 2010.

[Hflo]

OMG I cannot believe some of the comments on here it’s like living in the dark ages!

It’s not men’s hair or woman’s hair it’s Just hair !!!! It’s the type of cut that’s different that’s all! If you want a cut that a barber can do you go to the barbers being male or female shouldn’t even come into it! And vice versa. Seriously people it’s the 21st century!

If anyone male or female gets denied a service based on their gender they SHOULD make a fuss / report it as discrimination or we will never have equality!

[Hflo]

And leases that have a clause saying they can only cut a certain genders hair are illegal. And it has nothing to do with insurance either.

[SoupDragon]

Yes there is, because he didn’t want to. That’s good enough reason.

Except you aren't allowed to discriminate on the basis of sex just because you want to.

[Blacksheepcat]

Ridiculous and unlawful.

“The Equality Act 2010 protects people from discrimination and it applies to businesses such as barbershops and salons. Equality law means that when providing goods and services a business must not discriminate against anyone on the grounds of gender. This also applies not only to male or female clients but also to individuals who have changed from one sex to another or who are transitioning.



If a barbershop refuses to cut a woman’s hair simply because she is a woman, or charges a woman more than a man for exactly the same service, this is direct discrimination which is always unlawful. The terms of a barbershop’s lease cannot be used as a defence against discrimination, as that would make the terms of the lease unlawful.”

[Toomuchtrouble4me]

My DD always go to Barbers for an undercut. Just an odd barber.

[SD1978]

I don't have an issue with this, sorry. In the same way that I don't have an issue with someone providing female only services through their business, if you choose to run a male only service I'm ok with that. Barbers are usually and always have been to cut men's hair. I'd say the onus is on you to confirm if they cut women and young girls hair, not to assume they do.

[Toomuchtrouble4me]

@Blacksheepcat

Ridiculous and unlawful.

“The Equality Act 2010 protects people from discrimination and it applies to businesses such as barbershops and salons. Equality law means that when providing goods and services a business must not discriminate against anyone on the grounds of gender. This also applies not only to male or female clients but also to individuals who have changed from one sex to another or who are transitioning.

If a barbershop refuses to cut a woman’s hair simply because she is a woman, or charges a woman more than a man for exactly the same service, this is direct discrimination which is always unlawful. The terms of a barbershop’s lease cannot be used as a defence against discrimination, as that would make the terms of the lease unlawful.”

Really? Come on ladies, let’s all get to the local barbers and ask for a shave.😁