A recent article from The National Post describes a woman who
proposes to end workplace discrimination for individuals with body
modifications. Kendra Behringer, resident of Edmonton, has twenty-two facial
piercings and says she won’t tolerate discrimination from employers based on
the way she looks. The article describes how Behringer was rejected from dozens
of jobs and so she is seeking to change the Alberta Human Rights Act to make it
illegal for employers to discriminate against persons with tattoos and
piercings. The act already forbids discrimination based on race, gender, age,
religious and political affiliation, but Behringer argues that body
modifications should be added to the list as well.
It is clear from this article that people like Behringer want
to have their cake and eat it too. In an open society, individuals should be
allowed to modify their bodies however they like; piercings, tattoos,
scarification, and lip-discs should all be allowed if one chooses. However,
just because one is permitted to alter their body in such ways, does not entail
they can escape the judgement of others. Any adult who makes the decision to
get piercings or tattoos does so in recognition of the fact that others will
judge them based on these decisions. As an adult living in the real world, one has
to consider the potential consequences such modifications with incur. You can’t
indulge in any sort of behaviour you want and then expect to not be held
accountable for it. If Ms. Behringer was intent on working in a retail setting
or at a business that upholds certain dress codes, she should have considered
this before stamping a bunch of holes in her face.
When an employer refuses to hire someone because of their
body modifications, it’s not discrimination—certainly not in the sense that
racism, sexism, or anti-Semitism constitute discrimination. In recognition of
the fact that all human beings have different attributes, an employer must accept
the applicant with the optimal attributes for the position they are hiring for.
For example, if an employer refuses to hire someone because they are black,
then that employer would be a racist since being black should not automatically
disqualify someone from any particular position. However, if an employer was
hiring for a heavy-duty construction job that required heavy lifting, it would
seem justifiable for them not to hire a sixteen year-old girl because she isn’t
strong enough. I do not see this as discrimination, but rather competition. A
sixteen year old could not possibly keep up with some muscular guy who is
adequately built for such work. Likewise, the tough muscular guy would probably
have a hard time getting a retail job at La
Senza since he lacks the attributes to compete in that line of work. Competition is distinct from discrimination since
in competition there is an economic rationale behind why an employer would not
hire someone apart from just being a bigot.
Companies have to hire people who will best represent them, and if an
employer believes that Behringer’s piercings will distract employees, shock
customers, or harm sales, then they have every right not to hire her on that
basis. People with extensive body modifications are less competitive in certain
markets. Having twenty-two facial piercings might be great if your goal in life
is the join The Cruxshadows, but if you want to work somewhere with a dress
code, such things are unadvisable.
The fact that Ms. Behringer is seeking to make it illegal for employers not to hire her
reflects the whiny sense of entitlement that is so prevalent in our culture
today. Instead of cultivating one’s talents and adequately preparing for the
line of work one hopes to pursue, people today just expect employers to cater
to their needs. If you make the
choice to get tattoos or piercings then you must accept responsibility for whatever
consequences they entail.
"I'm ready for my interview now."
