Are Bars and Clubs Using Dress Codes to Racially Discriminate?
No baggy pants, no baseball caps, no athletic wear.
These items are among the apparel bars and clubs across the country ban to keep out a certain element. But are African Americans the element they have in mind? According to Macon D., who is white and runs the blog Stuff White People Do, the answer is yes. To make his case, Macon pointed out the public uproar surrounding six black Washington University students denied entry into a Chicago bar Oct. 17 during their senior class trip to the city.
The students claim that white classmates, also wearing baggy pants, were allowed into Mother's Original bar. In addition, the students say that they offered to go back to their hotel and change but were told even switching clothes wouldn't get them into the bar. Adding insult to injury for the students is that the senior class had contacted Mother's before their trip, according to senior class treasurer, Regis Murayi. The treasurer helped plan the Chicago trip to find himself unable to celebrate with his classmates.
"We had prearranged this agreement," he told the Tribune. "We had spoken to these people prior. We had brought a lot of business to them."
In response to their treatment, the students last week filed complaints with the Illinois attorney general's office, the Chicago Commission on Human Relations and the U.S. Justice Department, the Tribune reported.
For its part, Mother's says that some blacks were allowed inside of the bar on Oct. 17 and that gang violence in the area prompted the baggy pants ban. That's fine, but if Mother's is to have such a ban in place it must forbid not just black men who wear baggy pants but white men, Asian men, etc. Assuming that any black man who wears baggy pants belongs to a gang amounts to racism, and if Mother's made this assumption, I hope swift action is taken against the bar.
Mother's human resources manager may have told the Tribune that some blacks were allowed inside, but I'm curious to know if these blacks were male or female. It's no secret that bars benefit from having plenty of female patrons. Also, black women are unlikely to be stereotyped as gang members. Given this, it says little if Mother's allowed attractive black women into the club while denying entry to black men it labeled dangerous.
Unfortunately, this dress code incident isn't isolated. Macon D. posted a roundup of dress codes at bars and clubs nationwide that have sparked cries of racism. One dress code I found particularly disturbing barred admission to anyone with dreadlocks, braids or cornrows, all traditionally black hairstyles. If this isn't a move to keep out blacks, I don't know what is. African Americans of all ages and socioeconomic backgrounds style their hair in such ways, so this clearly targets far more than potential gang members.
So, what's going on here? Are these dress restrictions simply 21st century code for "no coloreds allowed?"
Comments
I think all dress codes have a discriminative element in them. Business suits for men who attend a conference is of the same order. Coat and skirt for women in the corporate world same thing. These suits express a expected loyalty in a world where appearences are everything. Appearances of wealth and neatness in this case. Baggy pants represent another world. Yes, of course, those differences in clothing have something to do with your background and race too. But that should not be the issue. And if it is, like making a difference between a white and a black men wearing the same outfit, then it is just wrong.
Having been discriminated against as a woman I understand that feeling that comes with being excluded, but I refuse to let that stop me from getting the things I want in life. There are other places I can work just as there are other bars you can patronize.
We all have to remember that its subjective and if there is a place of buisiness that doesn’t want your business then don’t give it to them! Be the better person! If a place has rules, then follow them. If at that point they don’t allow you in then you have something to complain about.
My point is that we are the maker of our own destiny. We need to quit complaining about our strifes and do something about it. I sure wouldn’t be where I am today if I didn’t say screw those repressive a-holes and moved on with my life.
IndyWorkingMom, under normal circumstances, these kids could have just moved on to another bar. However, the bar in question was the site of their senior class party. The students wanted to celebrate with their fellow seniors, and one of them had even contacted Mother’s Bar beforehand about having the senior class party there. They weren’t simply searching for a random place to party for the weekend.
Mothers action was racially implied. Though these guys should have not worn baggy pants among the groups as we all know that any given opportunity to discriminate against African-American they will do it/captalized on it. It is like given your meat to test a cat in Africa, surely the cat will be delighted to welcome your gestures of given the days delicious meal. Do not give yourself cheaply to discriminate against. Many years when I was in School in Chicago and came to visit a friend in small town near Dallas, Texas, a bar denied two of us entry to their night club/bar, our offence we looked too young to be over twenty-one and carrying Illinois driving licence,which they claimed not acceptable it must be Texas driving licence our host who carried texas DL identified us that our looks is traditionally real African, sorry they insisted but they will allow our host but not his guests. Think over it, it was a stupid logic and smartest way to send all the three away, that night was ruined. Perhaps they thought we were gangs from Acapon’s city or even members. Sorry Bo, I share your plight but no baggy pants they said and do not test your cat with your meat, in Africa meat is expensive/too costly to be food for a cat.
Here is the thing with baggy pants in bars and night clubs no one is going to have a good time if they have to see your butt everytime you sit down or get up. Why would you even put pants on if all you are going to do is pull them down to your thighs. FYI it’s not attractive and it’s not racist dress right or suffer the consequences. Clearly the bar and clubs in a city will have a dress code you have the city to uphold. Would you want your city to look like it is run by thugs? There is no racism in this at all!
I’ll just say it: African American men need to dress better. No one get angry…I’m a Black woman, though not African-American. I have enough of an outsiders’ perspective to be objective – but I say it while having your skin color. :^)
When I see Black American men with pants around the knees, grabbing at them to protect underwear or bare butts from further exposure, I stereotype them as either completely clueless or low class, ghetto denizens. I wouldn’t date one if I were single, and wouldn’t want them in my upscale club if I owned one. I haven’t even got into the fact that this style is an emulation of prison “fashion.”
Laws and rules should be neutral in regard to color and ethnicity, yes. Still, waddling around in oversized clown pants is offensive to the eye, especially if something is exposed. When you do as you know you should, it’s far more difficult for people to single you out, because people will see clearly what’s going on.