Woman lodges anti-discrimination complaint against Darwin CBD barber shop

A MEN’S barber shop has bizarrely been the subject of an anti-discrimination complaint for — you guessed it — cutting men’s hair

Joy Arnott owner of Star Barber has had a woman lodge an anti-discrimination complaint against her because she only cuts men's hair. Pictured with Carlos Sylianteng Picture: Keri Megelus

A MEN’S barber shop has bizarrely been the subject of an anti-discrimination complaint for — you guessed it — cutting men’s hair.

Star Barber in the Star Village in Darwin’s CBD was notified about the complaint last week.

The complaint has left owner Joy Arnott angry and leaves other men’s barber shops faced with the prospect of being forced to cut women’s hair.

“Women do not have the right to take up space everywhere, just because they are women,” Ms Arnott said.

“This is an outrageous sense of entitlement and it does not reflect what I understand the anti-discrimination act is all about or should be used for. This is not what Darwin is about.”

The NT News cannot confirm the identify of the person who made the complaint, partly due to privacy provisions, but understands it centres around service and cost.

The woman was told Star Barber only cuts men’s hair.

Star Barber haircuts start at $40. Women’s hair cuts can cost four of five times more than men’s and this irritated the woman who made the complaint.

“Two years ago I opened Star Barber. I liked the idea of an ‘old school’ barbershop that specialised in providing services to men,” Ms Arnott said. “Barber shops have made a stunning revival over the last few years.

“They are places that provide a space where men can be men. The whole shop at Star Barber has been designed to cater for men. Our male clients enjoy it and, in my opinion, they are entitled to enjoy it.

“I feel strongly that as a woman I need to respect the opportunity for men to have access to a particular place that looks after them and is blokey.

“Star Barber is absolutely not anti-women it is proudly and specifically pro-men. The retail products sold in the shop are all designed for men.

“Last year I travelled to Rotterdam and trained at Schorem with the purpose of being able to bring a traditional technical excellence to cutting men’s hair to Star Barber as well as contemporary hairstyles designed for men by men.” Ms Arnott may seek an exemption from the anti-discrimination act in much the same way Fernwood gym has at the Jape Homemaker Village.

Fernwood secured its exemption based on men who attend a gym “may ogle” women who also attend. Fernwood routinely advertises that it is a gym where “you will not find any Tom, Harry and definitely no Dicks”.