Woman denied haircut goes to Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario

[Locutus]

A request for a lunch-hour haircut has turned into a battle over human rights, pitting freedom of religion against a woman’s right not to be denied service based on her gender.

Faith McGregor walked into the Terminal Barber Shop on Bay St. in June to get a haircut — the “businessman,” short on the sides, tapered, trim the top. The shop, like many barbers in Toronto, doesn’t do women’s haircuts. But McGregor, 35, said she wanted a men’s cut.

Shop co-owner Omar Mahrouk told her his Muslim faith prohibits him from touching a woman who is not a member of his family. All the other barbers said the same thing.

“For me it was just a haircut and started out about me being a woman. Now we’re talking about religion versus gender versus human rights and businesses in Ontario,” said McGregor.

She filed a complaint with the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario almost immediately, saying she felt like a “second-class citizen.”


more about this whining


http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/art...rcut-goes-to-human-rights-tribunal-of-ontario

 

[SLM]

Well, all I can say is it's a good thing we've solved world hunger, crime, poverty and that there are no more wars so that we can focus on this really important stuff.

 

[lone wolf]

She could have gone to the competition. What sort of "business" person is she?

 

[karrie]

Why would you want to force someone to touch you, who doesn't want to? Let them do a reduced business, that's their problem.

 

[eh1eh]

HR Tribunal is for sucky babies. So now it's the battle of Homo against Muslim.
Hey, just thought, when the Muslim guy finds out she's a homo he'll have two reasons not to cut her hair.

 

[Goober]

My opinion- They are in business. They are discriminating based upon sex.
When it was people that perform civil marriages wanting the ability to opt out based upon Religious belief Oh my the uproar on this forum.
But then again they were Christians.

 

[taxslave]

My opinion- They are in business. They are discriminating based upon sex.
When it was people that perform civil marriages wanting the ability to opt out based upon Religious belief Oh my the uproar on this forum.
But then again they were Christians.

I get your point but I don't think it is quite the same thing. The marriage commissioners are government employees delivering a government service.

 

[Goober]

I get your point but I don't think it is quite the same thing. The marriage commissioners are government employees delivering a government service.

When a black man walks into a business and is turned away based up color - when a homosexual goes for a taxi and the driver refuse because it is against his religious belief to associate with gays. Tell me where it ends. This is not about reasonable accommodation- what a useless term-

This is about a persons right to enter a licensed business providing a service and be served.

And this is purely discrimination based upon a religious and or cultural beliefs.

 

[Praxius]

My opinion- They are in business. They are discriminating based upon sex.

As a male, why don't you try getting a membership to Curves.

Hell I got dirty looks just for stepping inside the doorway as I waiting for my ex to talk to the employees about a membership. They treated me like a fk'n sex criminal and I didn't even do a damn thing except stand there and be a male.... there wasn't anybody else there doing anything anyways, just the employees standing around talking.

If they can refuse male membership on the grounds that some of the women exercising might get "Uncomfortable" and if they can treat a man like they treated me just by standing in the entranceway waiting for my girlfriend.... than these guys can refuse to cut a woman's hair in a Barbershop based on religious beliefs... which is more justified.

Now a days, you'll easily find "Women Only" businesses and services & it's accepted by society, but any time there's a business that focuses on Men or is completely designed for Men Only, suddenly it's a Human Rights issue and society should string them up for even attempting to do anything that focuses on men only.

Give me a fk'n break.

They wouldn't cut her hair?

Go down the damn street to one of the thousands of other barbershops / hair salons that are available.

What a Wanker.

Their barbershop is a PRIVATE BUSINESS.... it is not a Public Service.

 

[gerryh]

My opinion- They are in business. They are discriminating based upon sex.
When it was people that perform civil marriages wanting the ability to opt out based upon Religious belief Oh my the uproar on this forum.
But then again they were Christians.

Taxslave already answered, but I will reiterate. The people that you are talking about were/are public employees and therefore should NOT be discriminating against anyone. They can always get a different job. Their wages are paid by EVERY taxpayer. Homosexual and otherwise.

No what Goob, if I walk into a house with a broken furnace and I smell pot, or there is a mess around the furnace, I can walk right back out of that house and refuse them service. It is MY right. They can always call another heating company.

 

[Goober]

As a male, why don't you try getting a membership to Curves.

Hell I got dirty looks just for stepping inside the doorway as I waiting for my ex to talk to the employees about a membership.

If they can refuse male membership on the grounds that some of the women exercising might get "Uncomfortable" than these guys can refuse to cut a woman's hair in a Barbershop based on religious beliefs... which is more justified.

Now a days, you'll easily find "Women Only" businesses and services & it's accepted by society, but any time there's a business that focuses on Men or is completely designed for Men Only, suddenly it's a Human Rights issue and society should string them up for even attempting to do anything that focuses on men only.

Give me a fk'n break.

They wouldn't cut her hair?

Go down the damn street to one of the thousands of other barbershops / hair salons that are available.

What a Wanker.

True there are women only businesses. And there is a reason for that. Upheld by a variety of courts in Canada. And they serve a well documented purpose.

So I ask do they discriminate based upon some of the following

Religion

Sexual orientation

Ethnicity

The way a person looks

Nope.

Taxslave already answered, but I will reiterate. The people that you are talking about were/are public employees and therefore should NOT be discriminating against anyone. They can always get a different job. Their wages are paid by EVERY taxpayer. Homosexual and otherwise.

No what Goob, if I walk into a house with a broken furnace and I smell pot, or there is a mess around the furnace, I can walk right back out of that house and refuse them service. It is MY right. They can always call another heating company.

I realize that a business can refuse service.

 

[gerryh]

I realize that a business can refuse service.

Ok, and this Barber refused service. That should be the end of it.

 

[Goober]

Ok, and this Barber refused service. That should be the end of it.

The barber refused service based upon a persons sex. Discrimination.

 

[Cannuck]

The barber refused to serve her because she had a v agina. I wonder what people would say if he refused to serve her because her t its weren't big enough.

 

[gerryh]

The barber refused service based upon a persons sex. Discrimination.

:roll:

It was a mens Barber shop. Owned by and operated by Muslim men. I smell a set up.

 

[Goober]

:roll:

It was a mens Barber shop. Owned by and operated by Muslim men. I smell a set up.

Possibly, we know that it has been done for Christians and such. Trying to think of the Catholic Organization that after they were aware refused to rent a hall to a same sex marriage. In my opinion that was a setup.

 

[PoliticalNick]

When a black man walks into a business and is turned away based up color - when a homosexual goes for a taxi and the driver refuse because it is against his religious belief to associate with gays. Tell me where it ends. This is not about reasonable accommodation- what a useless term-

This is about a persons right to enter a licensed business providing a service and be served.

And this is purely discrimination based upon a religious and or cultural beliefs.

Have you never seen a sign that says "we reserve the right to refuse service"? It is entirely within the rights of the owner/manager of any private business to refuse service. End of story and should be end of complaint.

 

[captain morgan]

True there are women only businesses. And there is a reason for that. Upheld by a variety of courts in Canada. And they serve a well documented purpose.

Can't have it both ways buddy.

Either you are obliged to deliver service to all that walk through your door, or you are not obliged.

 

[Praxius]

True there are women only businesses. And there is a reason for that. Upheld by a variety of courts in Canada. And they serve a well documented purpose.

Like what?

These guys have their religious beliefs saying that can't touch another female other than their wife or family member.... that's not discrimination, it's no different than Christianity telling you not to sleep around with more than your wife, just a bit more on the extreme end of the spectrum.

There is no law that forces me to place my hands on another person if I am not comfortable with doing so, including situations where someone's life is at risk.

So I ask do they discriminate based upon some of the following

Religion

Sexual orientation

Ethnicity

The way a person looks

Nope.

Nice that you forgot to mention gender/sex.... which is the exact reason why you seem so PO'd about the Barbershop thing.... they refused service based on her being a female, as well as their own religious beliefs.

Curves just refuses service and treats you like scum based on being a male.... with no other justifications.

Again, you said:

"My opinion- They are in business. They are discriminating based upon sex."

So does Curves, but now here you are trying to spin it in your favour to make what Curves does "Ok" while what these guys did in their barbershop is not "Ok" and they're a business that should provide a service regardless of their gender.

Hypocrite.

Here's something left out of the original quote in the OP:

“We live for our values. We are people who have values and we hold on to it. I am not going to change what the faith has stated to us to do. This is not extreme — this is just a basic value that we follow,” said Karim Saaden, co-owner of the Terminal Barber Shop.

He noted that it was a matter of adherence to faith, not a gender issue.

“In our faith, for instance, I can cut my mother’s hair, I can cut my sister’s hair, I can cut my wife’s hair, my daughter’s hair,” said Saaden.

It's not sexual discrimination and clearly stated why.

The barbershop suggested a solution to McGregor toward the end of August, offering her a haircut from a barber willing to do so.

“It’s the principle of the matter so I turned down their lawyer’s offer and said, ‘No, I wish to continue with the tribunal,’ because this needs to be discussed and now it’s bigger than what occurred with me that one day, in one afternoon,” said McGregor.

She is asking the tribunal to force Terminal Barber Shop to offer its men’s haircuts to both genders, and suggests in her application that the shop post a sign indicating it serves both men and women. She is not seeking money.

^ Proof that she's just being a self-righteous b*tch seeking attention.

It's bigger than what occurred with her that day because she's trying to make it bigger than it really is.

And because she has issues with Muslims (obviously) she wants to humiliate them and force them to do what she wants, and basically force them to wear "idiot signs" like that woman in the US who drove up on a sidewalk to avoid a school bus stopping.....

.... She's not seeking money.... she's seeking to force them out of business.

And that's what will happen because she's attempting to force them to choose between their religion and their job.

 

[Goober]

Can't have it both ways buddy.

Either you are obliged to deliver service to all that walk through your door, or you are not obliged.

According to Laws in Canada yes you can.