Regina's Ragged Ass Barbers, seen here in a photo uploaded to the barbershop's Facebook page, is being criticized for only cutting men's hair. A Regina woman who was denied a haircut at a barbershop for men says she is launching a complaint with the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission for discrimination.
Evie Ruddy asked for a short men’s cut at Ragged Ass Barbers, located in the city’s downtown, but the owner refused to comply due to a longstanding policy of only accepting male clients.
“If they said we only give men’s haircuts, that’s one thing – and I would say, ‘Well I do want a men’s hair cut. I have very short hair and I wanted a hard part, which is a traditional men’s haircut’, but it’s another to say we only give men’s haircuts to men,” Evie Ruddy told Global News.
The barbershop’s owner, Craig Zamonsky, has defended the men-only policy on the grounds that other businesses like women-only gyms also evaluate clients based on gender.
The controversy has led to an outpouring of denunciation and support for the barbershop, and on Saturday the business thanked those who stood by Ragged Ass Barbers.
“We appreciate everyone, both men AND WOMEN who have taken the time to reach out to us,” the barbershop wrote on Facebook. “It has really reminded us that we’re not doing something wrong, we’re doing something great. So to all of you, THANK YOU!”
The Regina barbershop is not the first to come under scrutiny for gender-specific policies. In 2012 a Toronto woman filed a human rights complaint against the Terminal Barbershop after the Muslim barbers said they could not touch her due to their faith, which prohibited contact with women who were not family members. Faith McGregor and barbershop owner Omar Mahrouk ultimately came to an agreement through mediation, although the details were not made public.
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