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Disneyland hostess banned from wearing hijab
Forbidden her hijab in the Magic Kingdom, waitress Imane Boudlal has been given a trilby hat instead
Disney is facing controversy after a Muslim hotel employee was refused permission to wear her hijab – a form of headscarf which leaves her whole face exposed – and given an "offensive" trilby hat to wear instead. Imane Boudlal, who works as a restaurant 'hostess' meeting and greeting customers in Disneyland's Grand Californian Hotel, says Disney is discriminating against her religion.
Boudlal (above, left), a Moroccan immigrant who is now a US citizen, last week started proceedings against the entertainment empire with the US Equal Opportunity Commission. She claims she was sent home from work seven times without pay after she turned up at the Magic Kingdom wearing her scarf – and says this amounts to religious discrimination.
Disney admits it has refused Boudlal permission to wear the hijab at work, saying it has a strict uniform policy. "Somebody in an on-stage position like hers wouldn't wear something like that, that's not part of the costume," said spokeswoman Suzi Brown, referring to the fact that Boudlal’s job is in a front-of-house role interacting with customers.
Brown added that the company had offered Boudlal a different, back-of-house position where she would be able to wear the scarf. But she said Boudlal had refused to switch to kitchen work and Disney was instead offering a compromise uniform.
Now Boudlal says Disney's suggested alternative to her hijab - a preposterous-looking combination of bonnet and trilby hat (above, right) - is offensive. "The hat makes a joke of my religion and draws even more attention to me," she said
The 26-year-old added: "It's unacceptable. They don't want me to look Muslim. They just don't want the head covering to look like a hijab."
Stinging from the appalling PR it has brought on itself, Disney blamed Boudlal’s union, Unite Here Local 11, with whom it has a long-standing dispute. "Unfortunately, this is yet another attempt by Local 11 to distort the facts and distract from the real issue that their members have been without a contract for two and a half years,'' said Brown. ·
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She was probably told at the interview that there was specific dress code, but ignored it. If she was sent home seven times....and continued to come back with it on, then she is just wanting to start something. I don't care what business you work for, there are always dress codes; if you continue to disobey the rules, then you should be fired! Bottom line! This is nothing more than an intentional plot to cry "discrimination"... this is garbage!
No Hijab! Good :)
I agree that she must wear the uniform that comes with the job, but it's only a head scarf that she wants to add to it not a full length burkha!!! I assume she was wearing it at the job interview, so why didn't they mention it then? Disney staff are so brain washed about the company's strict philosophy that it's almost fascist. Someone should alert them that Mickey has a white face, so all black employees better bleach their faces or be sent out of view of the customers.
Well done Disney. Just another one of the "Great Offended" who should be ignored.
I wonder if Disney refuse the paying custom of people who arrive at the Magic Kingdom wearing hijabs? So why do they forbid their staff to wear them?
I don't have a problem with Disney's position at all. Disney is a private corporation and can set their own rules about uniforms. I have to dress in a certain way for my workplace and would be fired if I didn't comply.