Saturday, March 24, 2012

What should I do… a young designer wonders how to handle the NY “Dress code” - Politics of Style and Race in America

President_barack_obama-_if_i_had_a_son-_trayvon_martin

What  do you do when your "look" is perceived to be a hindrance and closes of access..There are Black and White cases (no pun intended) as in the case of Trayvon Martin ...  but what if you  could not get served, or were refused entry into a club based on  your "look". What if t were your skin  color; Your sexuality. 

What of those that  say the club has a right to set  a vibe... where ishould teh line be drawn?

NY night  club  dress codes have always been a grey area matter. However  what if you suspect  Racism, or gender discrimination... what if it were size discrimination? What if it were your sole source of income? 

I’ve adopted  a young aspiring designer , who  came to NY… Like I  have many  young  females… This week  she posed her delimna.

She wanted to leave her job… but  like many  she needs to be able to pay her bills till while she works on her dream. The problem She works  as a hostess at a trendy NY  Nightspot, Tips and salary are Great!  She is extremely  uncomfortable with the dress code. To be frank… she’s observed the latent Racism, and “Popularity’ based on “model” look.

It says a lot that she noticed it, Felts instinctively that its discriminatory  and is torn!

Few would including the friends she hangs out  with! While she gets in she is still conscious of the  damage to the ego of young  men and women  who want to  fit it and Abhors the bullying…

She has noticed that the  door men are selecting on Skin  color… separating  groups of young  people dressed similarly especially with the  young  women. White model types get in first,  Model looking black  girls next, Regular whites and mixed race….. the dark skinned females seldom make it in unless they are “Model Types”

 

Here's the  thing  fashion  blogs and site applaud such  behaviour... 

Even within  groups of the same race the line is "Wealth" ... "Upsacle... is the preferred word! then.  I challenged her aas i would you to  learn her rights and what can be done...

always a teacher i advised "Google It"  or call 311 

how to handle suspected racial discrimination at entertainment venues "- Google Search http://j.mp/GNnaxq

But seriously what  would you do ...  with right  comes responsibilities, I wonder...  did no one notice a man  following  a child what if it were a white youth and a Black male would  teh neighbors have heard calls for help and done nothing! 

What  do you do  when you are teh individual  given special priveldges in discrimination... do  you slide through  or stand up?

 

 

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