Barbershop Battle: Is refusing haircuts a religious right, or gender discrimination?

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    1. Shortly after being denied a hair cut at the Bay Street barber shop, McGregor filed a complaint with the Ontario Human Rights Commission. The story itself, though, didn't make it to the papers till this month. On November 3, Xtra! ran a feature on the issue by staff reporter Andrea Houston:
    2. Toronto Star's Tim Alamenciak followed up this week:
    3. And then things heated up on Twitter yesterday. Whose rights trump whose? And need there be a hierarchy? Here's are some comments that stuck out for us.
    4. KimberlyAsal
      Why in the eff did I look at the profile of the lady who wrote the barbershop article. How about all the hateful white people just chill?
      Kimberly
      Thu, Nov 15 2012 08:29:02

    5. dreahouston
      @KimberlyAsal If his religion prevents him from being a barber, and following Ont's human rights law, perhaps cutting hair is not for him.
      Andrea Houston
      Thu, Nov 15 2012 08:37:55

    6. dreahouston
      @ccamilleb It's a slippery slope to a pharmacist denying a woman Plan B on religious grounds. @sol_chrom
      Andrea Houston
      Thu, Nov 15 2012 08:02:37

    7. ccamilleb
      @dreahouston @sol_chrom and it's also a slippery slope to us all losing religious freedoms. this kind of hyperbole is pointless.
      ccamilleb
      Thu, Nov 15 2012 08:19:34

    8. dreahouston
      @ccamilleb @sol_chrom FFS! Do you know what "religious freedom" is? No one is trying to take away your right to be religious.
      Andrea Houston
      Thu, Nov 15 2012 08:21:38

    9. KimberlyAsal
      @dreahouston @ccamilleb There's a very logical reason for what happened, but your bias prevents you from even considering what that might be
      Kimberly
      Thu, Nov 15 2012 08:35:12

ccamilleb
Thu, Nov 15 2012 08:27:15

  • dreahouston
    @ccamilleb You can't "impose" secularism. No one is saying you must reject your religious beliefs.
    Andrea Houston
    Thu, Nov 15 2012 08:29:14

  • KimberlyAsal
    @dreahouston @ccamilleb That's exactly what's being argued. You can't cherry pick someone else's faith - ur not that man or his experiences.
    Kimberly
    Thu, Nov 15 2012 08:36:22

  • KimberlyAsal
    We need to chill out on privileged snap judgements, assuming all Muslims are this one picture you have in your mind, baseless...
    Kimberly
    Thu, Nov 15 2012 08:37:23

  • KimberlyAsal
    . @dreahouston ON law also protects his right to faith. No one forced her to be Muslim. She walked into his business for men only.
    Kimberly
    Thu, Nov 15 2012 08:45:34

  • KimberlyAsal
    . @dreahouston You can't force a man to breach his faith for convenience. If that's offensive, you should really rethink your feminism.
    Kimberly
    Thu, Nov 15 2012 08:48:18

  • dreahouston
    @KimberlyAsal I'd hardly call discrimination, "convenience." No one says he can't be a Muslim, but she has a right to not be denied service.
    Andrea Houston
    Thu, Nov 15 2012 08:53:34

  • ccamilleb
    @dreahouston he can refuse service when it goes against his religious beliefs and she can choose to go elsewhere. no one should be FORCED.
    ccamilleb
    Thu, Nov 15 2012 08:51:54

  • KimberlyAsal
    . @dreahouston There's context & nuance to everything. This case is re trying to force him to do something w/ his body that he doesn't want.
    Kimberly
    Thu, Nov 15 2012 09:03:06

  • dreahouston
    @KimberlyAsal Y'know you sound a lot like the Catholic school boards who screamed, "you can't FORCE us to accept gay-straight alliances!"
    Andrea Houston
    Thu, Nov 15 2012 08:56:31

  • KimberlyAsal
    . @dreahouston No, you're saying you want him to be Muslim on your terms, & I'm saying that that's entirely absurd.
    Kimberly
    Thu, Nov 15 2012 08:58:32

  • KimberlyAsal
    . @dreahouston No, this man wants to run a private business to provide for his family & the comparison is absurd. You seem to be scrambling.
    Kimberly
    Thu, Nov 15 2012 08:59:31

  • dreahouston
    @KimberlyAsal Why is it absurd to expect that all businesses to serve all customers equally?
    Andrea Houston
    Thu, Nov 15 2012 09:00:32

  • KimberlyAsal
    . @dreahouston What about female stylists who refuse to give beauty treatments to men? (which is SO COMMON).
    Kimberly
    Thu, Nov 15 2012 09:01:21

  • dreahouston
    @KimberlyAsal And I believe there's been challenges to those as well. A woman-only fitness club faced a challenge. (looking for a link)
    Andrea Houston
    Thu, Nov 15 2012 09:04:36

  • KimberlyAsal
    . @dreahouston I'm talking re how aestheticians won't give men Brazilian waxes, or even face waxes. That's not faith driven, it's preference
    Kimberly
    Thu, Nov 15 2012 09:09:11

  • KimberlyAsal
    . @dreahouston & we know that freedom of religion & practice are protected in this country.
    Kimberly
    Thu, Nov 15 2012 09:09:34

  • dreahouston
    @KimberlyAsal That's why the case of the barber shop is a case of "competing rights." The Tribunal will decide, not you or me. Democracy!
    Andrea Houston
    Thu, Nov 15 2012 09:11:51

  • KimberlyAsal
    @RafayAgha @septembrea But I do believe if he really feels he shouldn't touch women outside his family, it's his right. It's his body & life
    Kimberly
    Thu, Nov 15 2012 09:37:47

  • ccamilleb
    @dreahouston so you're ok with him being muslim so long as he doesn't practice it? that's on par with 'you can be gay but don't act on it'
    ccamilleb
    Thu, Nov 15 2012 11:17:03

  • dreahouston
    @ccamilleb Um, no. I think a larger public debate is valid when practicing a religion means another persons rights are violated.
    Andrea Houston
    Thu, Nov 15 2012 11:23:12