Disney Oppresses Young Woman

[PirateFan31]

http://jezebel.com/5616115/disneyland-e ... hijab-rule

A Muslim woman announced today that she'll be filing a discrimination complaint against Disneyland because her bosses there sent her home for wearing her hijab.

According to the AP, Imane Boudlal has been working at Disneyland for two and a half years and is currently a hostess at the park's Storyteller Restaurant. Sunday, she decided to wear her hijab to work in order to observe Ramadan, but her bosses insisted she remove it. When she refused, she was sent home without pay. The OC Weekly says she tried to go to work wearing the hijab two more times, but was sent home each time — and now she's filing a complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

According to MousePad, Boudlal "had always removed the hijab before coming to work because she had been told that it was not allowed as part of the 'Disney Look,' Disney's dress code for cast members." Also, "Boudlal had previously applied for a "religious exemption" to the Disney Look, requesting that Disney allow her to wear the hijab to work, but [...] managers 'strung her along' for a month without answer." But Boudlal recently became an American citizen, and her union says she "decided to challenge the [Disney Look] after winning United States citizenship in June and learning her constitutional right to freedom of religion." Says Boudlal, "The Constitution tells me I can be Muslim, and I can wear the head scarf. Who is Disney to tell me I cannot?"

It's a fair question. After all, Boudlal's not playing a character, and there's no reason the "Disney Look" should exclude expressions of Islam. Frankly, it's hard to see a justification for banning the hijab for employees other than simple prejudice, and it's time for Boudlal's bosses to get some religious sensitivity training. If nothing else, the more than 370,000 Muslim residents of California may not want to patronize a theme park that says their religion isn't part of its "Look.""

I'm saddened to learn that I was wrong about the Disney company. I thought that they were a company that cared about the diversity and freedom of speech of their staff, but I can see now that I was wrong. I'd always heard whispers about discrimination at Disney, and I'm sad to see that they're true. I'd like to begin a board-wide petition to boycott the company. I'd urge you all to join me.

[elizabethswann]

I saw that on the KTLA Facebook page and the comments there were real upsetting. I would have hoped people would be more considerate but apparently they weren't. I know that apparently there's a Disney handbook that limits a lot of things but didn't know this was.

[NaCler]

"Who is Disney to tell me I cannot?"

How about her employer??? I'm on the other side on this one. I think Disney is completely justified here. If you work for an employer, they can tell you what you can and can't wear to work. They are not telling her that she can't be Muslim, they are just saying that the hijab is not proper attire at work. If she doesn't like it then she can work for another company. If she has worked for Disney for 2.5 years then why didn't she try and wear it earlier if religion was such a big deal in her life? I think this smells of settlement lawsuit. It's about money not freedom of religion.

[PirateFan31]

It says that she recently became a citizen and tried to exercise her right to freedom of religion....and was oppressed. I've seen plenty of Disney cast members wearing crosses around their necks, and even a few yarmulkes. Double standard!

[indianagirl21]

I agree Nacler! This woman wants money and knows Disney can afford it.

When you work for an establishment like Disney there is a Dress code and a code of conduct and you have to follow it. If you dont like it, then don't work there. Disney has an image and you go into working for them knowing that. She has every right to wear her hijab but off of Disney's Work Clock!

[Jacca5660]

It says that she recently became a citizen and tried to exercise her right to freedom of religion....and was oppressed. I've seen plenty of Disney cast members wearing crosses around their necks, and even a few yarmulkes. Double standard!

I agree! Disney should have one standard!

[DIAC1987]

It honestly depends on the bosses she is working under. Some would let it fly, others wouldn't. I wouldn't blame the entire company for this, because (I am telling you this as an ex-Cast Member) sometimes, the pickier rules are bent and sometimes broken without anyone noticing. It depends on the bosses involved at the time.

[Jacca5660]

It honestly depends on the bosses she is working under. Some would let it fly, others wouldn't. I wouldn't blame the entire company for this, because (I am telling you this as an ex-Cast Member) sometimes, the pickier rules are bent and sometimes broken without anyone noticing. It depends on the bosses involved at the time.

Thank you for the insight!

[indianagirl21]

It honestly depends on the bosses she is working under. Some would let it fly, others wouldn't. I wouldn't blame the entire company for this, because (I am telling you this as an ex-Cast Member) sometimes, the pickier rules are bent and sometimes broken without anyone noticing. It depends on the bosses involved at the time.

hmmm... maybe it was the bosses that were actually being discriminate? in that case then the bosses should get reprimanded and not Disney

[NaCler]

It says that she recently became a citizen and tried to exercise her right to freedom of religion....and was oppressed. I've seen plenty of Disney cast members wearing crosses around their necks, and even a few yarmulkes. Double standard!

No, she became a greedy, lazy American that learned you can sue multi-billion dollar companies and make big money in settlements. That's what she learned when she became an American citizen.

She wasn't fired because she is Muslim so where does this fit in Freedom of Religion? I'm a Christian but that doesn't mean I can wear a robe and sandals to work everyday. I am sure that crosses worn outside of the Disney costume are forbidden also. Like DIAC1987 stated, it depends on your supervisor as to whether or not you are reported for the infraction. If you see someone wearing a cross outside of their costume, then complain to their supervisor and I'm sure they will be reprimanded and made to remove it.

This isn't oppressing someone because of their religion, it's following outlined codes to work with that company. Disney workers are called Cast Members because they are putting on a SHOW. In a show there are certain costumes that must be worn. If this lady does not conform to the costume that is specified for her job then she will go home and not be paid for the day. I'm SURE she signed some type of Code of Conduct agreement which specified proper attire when she first hired on at Disney. Therefore she was in violation of their code and was properly sent home.

Forgive my ignorance... what is a yarmulke?

[Amy]

I would have to agree that if this woman worked for Disney for over 2 years without wearing her hijab that it is unlikely that she is now exercising her religious right of freedom. If it was truly that important to her she would not have gone out without it for that long. They are part of a show, as NaCler pointed out, and have to wear the costume they are assigned.
NaCler, from what I understand yarmulkes are worn by Jewish men to remind themselves that God is the higher power. It is supposed to remind them that God is always watching and it shows their respect for Him. They are the round head coverings you see on their head.

[NaCler]

Amy - Aha.... I guess I have never seen the correct spelling on those. Must be my southern accent but I always thought those were called yomicas or a spelling similar to that. Sorry...

[MW1218]

I'm a Christian but that doesn't mean I can wear a robe and sandals to work everyday.

Because we all know this is the standard Christian garb, right? Your analogy is flawed, because while historians say this is what Jesus and his followers wore, that doesn't mean that contemporary Christians wear today. The hijab is a mandated article of clothing in the Muslim faith that all followers wear to this day, particularly in the holy period of Ramadan. Nice try, though.

And read the article, it specifically says that she learned about freedom of religion as part of her citizenship test, which she only passed in June. Either she wasn't aware of the Bill of Rights prior to this, or she didn't think they applied to her, not being a legal citizen. Perhaps once she passed the test she felt that she was entitled to the rights of every American.

[Boilerdude]

This is has nothing to do with religious freedom, this is a crock. You’re going to tell me after two years, you decide to wear your hijab in to work. Evidently she knew it was not allowed or she would not be taking it off. It states in the article “According to MousePad, Boudlal had always removed the hijab before coming to work because she had been told that it was not allowed as part of the 'Disney Look,' Disney's dress code for cast members."

Pretty straight forward to me, sounds more like insubordination than discrimination. When I worked at UPS you had to sign a code of conduct and adhere to the dress code. We had Muslim men and women, and the men had to be clean shaving the women could not wear a hijab. A Jewish person could not wear a yomica. We had Southern Baptist women that could not wear long dresses to work. If you did not want to adhere to the rules, you had the freedom to not work there. And I am 100% positive she signed something similar.

[cousininmiami]

Well, I'm going to get my two cents in... however I do feel that Subsonic is the wrong forum for religious and/or political topics.

1. I believe in everyone's personal religious freedom however, on your own time, not your employers time. She could have simply asked for that day off, if that was her REAL reason for wearing it! But I don't think it was.

2. Disney, as an employer, has a "uniform" for the cast members "on stage". Remember, that cast members are considered to be in a show. What if someone is doing a Broadway play, and all of a sudden, the person who plays let's say Mary Poppins is Muslim and comes onstage wearing a hijab??? Would that be ok??? Seriously, it's the same thing!!!!

3. I believe that all this woman wants is attention and money. Probably had it planned all along, waiting for the right moment. If someone awards her money???? We all better watch out.

I am a religious person, I don't tell people about it, I don't display it. The world would be a better place if everyone just did their work, minded their own business, and quit trying to convert people to their beliefs. So, that's my two cents. And again, I do feel this is the wrong place to start some kind of a topic like this. Subsonic makes me smile... not get mad.