Much-publicised complaint against Star Barber in Darwin CBD has been withdrawn
AN anti-discrimination complaint against a men’s barber shop for only cutting men’s hair has been withdrawn
Northern Territory
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AN anti-discrimination complaint against a men’s barber shop for only cutting men’s hair has been withdrawn.
Star Barber in the Star Village in Darwin’s CBD was slapped with an anti-discrimination complaint in March when a woman claimed she was ”refused service”.
A portion of the original complaint also related to cost. Star Barber haircuts started at $40.
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Women’s haircuts can cost four or five times more than men’s and this irritated the woman who made the complaint.
Owner Joy Arnott will now seek an exemption under the Act after the woman withdrew the complaint.
The woman was with her partner who was getting his hair cut and said she had requested a “short, military-style haircut.”
She says she was told that they did not cut women’s hair.
The complaint has left Ms Arnott disappointed she was unable to state her case and defend herself.
It sparked intense national coverage and debate.
“It was a waste of time and money for me personally and the taxpayer,” she said.
“I just didn’t realise how this issue was going to open a can of worms regarding gender and the political correctness associated to that and the construct of what masculinity means these days.
“It raised the question can people even be men these days?
“I received lots of support and it resonated with people nationally and internationally. Most people do feel the value of the concept of men having their own space.
“We prefer to cut men’s hair – we will be applying for a legal exemption so we don’t have face this again.
“We just want to do what we specialise in.”
The exemption from the anti-discrimination act is similar to what 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”.
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