Disney restaurant hostess sues for permission to wear hijab

[alp227]

A Muslim woman who works as a hostess at a Disney-owned restaurant filed a discrimination complaint against the entertainment giant Wednesday, saying they have repeatedly sent her home without pay for refusing to remove her headscarf at work.

Imane Boudlal said she has worked as a hostess at Storyteller's Café in Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa for two years and began wearing her hijab Sunday but was told she would have to remove it or take a job working out of public view.

On Wednesday, shortly after filing a complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Boudlal made her fourth attempt of the week — the first with videographers, photographers and reporters in tow — to begin her afternoon shift at the resort-district restaurant, which features a Chip 'n' Dale theme.

Boudlal said she was again told to take off her hijab, the headscarf some Muslim women wear. Boudlal refused and walked out of the hotel, flanked by chanting supporters.

"I've been sent home," she said. "I thought maybe today is my lucky day because I have my friends, my supporters."

Disney officials said Boudlal has never been denied the opportunity to work.

Read more: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-0819-disney-hijab-20100819,0,5537139.story

Hmm, so could this be why Rand Paul is in love with the "right to discriminate"? So that his children and other innocent little good ol' boys and girls won't have to see those evul evul Muzlims?

Already the first comment on the story says that Boudlal "deserved" to be fired. Yikes. Judging by the LA Times's photo, I see little compelling reason to bar her from working at the restaurant besides pandering to the idiotic sensitivities of Fox News-brainwashed families who travel to Disneyland.

[dkf]

1. If anybody can wear anything on their head and not get fired then this is discrimination.

If everyone is supposed to dress in a particular way without headgear then it isn't.

[DesertFlower]

2. would someone be fired for wearing a kippah?

[Lasher]

3. This seems kinda like a publicity stunt.

She's been working there for a couple of years without her hijab. Now she can't bear to be without it, and won't take Disney up on their offer to let her work out of public view. That's because she wouldn't be seen by the videographers, photographers, reporters, and chanting supporters.

[Skip Intro]

4. Exactly what I was thinking. nt

[aquart]

6. Years without it?

Oh my. The word "opportunist" does drift into the mind.

[Historic NY]

5. She better read that employee handbook she signed for.

[teenagebambam]

7. You can't have a mustache or tattoo either

or excessive makeup or garishly colored hair or ostentatious jewelry (and no earrings for men!) . Disney has very strict appearance guidelines for its "cast members".

[creeker]

8. you are losing on this issue--- choose yer battles

[d_r]

9. Disney has a strict employee dress code

This isn't targeted because of her religion or background. And they offered her another position that wasn't on stage.