Politically Correct Stupidity: Episode 3,872,390,576

Great Debates
1

While the title may be a bit strong, this is not a pitting. This episode deserves to be pitted, yes, but I’m interested in not so much in this incident as a larger discussion. Also, this involves a Muslim woman, but it is not about her religion per se.

So, this woman, Imane Boudal, is suing Disneyland for her “right” to wear a hajib. She is a hostess at Disneyland’s Grand Californian Hotel. When she showed up with her hajib, she was told that she would have to work in the back, or go home. So, she sued. This seems completely asinine to me. Disneyland is a theme park, with cartoon characters reflecting their brand running all over the place. It seems perfectly logical that they would want the only extra-necessary clothing or accessories be Disney-centric. So, I’ll leave Miss Doubal with a hearty “fuck you” and move to the larger discussion.

If I have a brand—and experience—I’m trying to create, don’t I have the right to control the things that will either reinforce or detract from that experience?

If I want to have a park where the theme is the pilgrims landing at Plymouth Rock, shouldn’t the garb be restricted to what the pilgrims wore? And if there are people working there who are not in costume, isn’t it reasonable that they wear things that are concept-neutral? And not wear things that bring the mind elsewhere?

Look at Broadway plays. Should Miss Doubal, were she an actress, be allowed to wear her habib on stage, thus detracting from the illusion of New Jersey in the 1950s/60s? Or movies: should Julia Roberts have been cast in a visible role?

If I’m in the business of selling an experience, don’t I have the right to manage the particulars of that experience? Let’s say I’m Ralph Lauren trying to create a brand that taps into the estate world of Dukes and Dutchesses, do I not have the right, and responsibility to my employees and shareholders to manage the visible aspects of my business in such a way that the branding is strong? Would the picture I’m trying to paint with the huge English mansion, acres of manicured lawns, and a woman in riding gear with two big Irish Wolfhounds by her side by as powerful if she was wearing a habib? Or even if she was non-white? (Yes, RL does not use some black models now, most noticeably in his RL Sport line, but that’s not how he built such a strong brand.

So, the question is, to what degree should Disneyland, or Ralph Lauren for that matter, be able to manage their brand experience?

2

I agree with your post, but wonder why the title refers to “political correctness.”

3

So he can frame it to be the fault of liberals?

4

And why it (PC) didn’t have the mandatory ‘gone mad’ appended to it.

5

He got conned into buying the whole set of “Liberals Gone Wild!” videos, and is hoping to off load them on us. Well, fool me once…

6

I guess it’s not a small world after all. :frowning:

CMC fnord!

7

According to this law firm’s website and the details provided by your link, Disney has been overzealous in managing its brand experience.

Could you please identify a brand that has an image that specifically includes the message “No practicing muslim women?”.

8

Well, small-minded, perhaps.

9

I see nothing wrong with a hotel having a dress code for hostesses.

10

Is Ms Boudal employed as an actor or as a waiter? If she’s working as an actor, then it’s reasonable for her to be required to wear a costume appropriate to her role. However, if she’s employed as a waiter, I think she can be required to wear a uniform, but I don’t think they can stop her wearing a headscarf – for religious reasons – in addition to that uniform. I think a similar principle would apply if an orthodox Jewish man, or a Sikh man, were employed as a waiter there: it would be unreasonable for Disney to require them not to wear their religiously mandated headgear.

11

She’s a hostess.

12

So, what are the duties of a host or hostess? Is she supposed to be serving customers, or is she supposed to acting in a dramatic role?

13

As any patron of dinner theater knows, those two possibilites are not mutually exclusive. Disney, from what I recall, has many waiters that are “in character” appropriate to the theme of the restaurant they serve.

14

I suspect neither. A hostess usually greets and seats customers, hands out menus, accepts payments, etc.

15

And we answered that question more than four decades ago with the Civil Rights Act.

Now that you have your answer, you’ll be withdrawing your objection, no?

16

I agree with her. There’s nothing involved in being a hostess at a hotel that should require you not to wear a hijab. Since when does “managing the experience” mean “pretending Muslims don’t exist?”

It would be totally different if she were an actor, because then part of her job would be pretending to be someone and that someone might not be Muslim. So wearing a hijab could actually interfere with an essential component of that job.

What part of a hostess’s job is compromised by wearing a hijab? Catering to bigots? If Disney’s position is “We don’t want her to dress like a Muslim because we want our bigoted customers to feel more comfortable” then they ought to at least say so.

17

I agree. If this is a theatre-restaurant, where the waiters double up as actors in some kind of entertainment, then a specific costume can be required by the employer. So, I’d want to know if she is employed to play a particular character while working as a waiter.

18

I could see an argument if it is say, a pirate themed restaurant. “Yarr, how many be joinin’ us this eve?”

Although it’s not like Muslim pirates were unheard of.

Does anyone know if they allow Sikhs to wear their turbans?

19

It’s a Disney hotel, I would think that Disney would have the right to enforce a dress code. However, if the Employee Handbook doesn’t alreay have a dress code, it’s going to look bad if they start enforcing one on her, now.

They should just make the whole staff wear khakis and polo shirts with little mouse ear logos.

20

I agree —this is a case where vital information is missing from articles. (Or rather, it seems as if Disney and the woman are trying to give us two very different views of what her job was. We’ll find out who’s being honest eventually, I guess.)

ETA: Oops, I’m a little late to the game. Good points, everyone! :wink: