Business refusing service based on gender..

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LC86

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A new beauty salon is opening opposite me, hair, nails, beauty, Botox etc etc

I was excited until I read on their website that it’s womens only.

In ENGLAND IN 2022 is that allowed?
 
Yes, there is a safe guarding consideration for both clients and therapists. No-one is obliged to provide a service to anyone.

It's not uncommon for waxers and massage therapists to focus solely on one sector of clients, excluding others.
 
Find it strange how you would cut out a whole gender of clientele 🤷🏻‍♂️
 
Find it strange how you would cut out a whole gender of clientele 🤷🏻‍♂️

Not much different to hairdressers/barbers. Different skills, needs and techniques. Some choose to specialise in one. Your business, your choice.
 
I know of several salons near me who only allow women, due to them being Muslim. Xx
 
A new beauty salon is opening opposite me, hair, nails, beauty, Botox etc etc

I was excited until I read on their website that it’s womens only.

In ENGLAND IN 2022 is that allowed?
Easy answer is no, it's not legal.

Gender is protected under the equality act 2010 and it would therefore be discrimination and a breach of that act (and others) to refuse service based on gender.
 
Easy answer is no, it's not legal.

Gender is protected under the equality act 2010 and it would therefore be discrimination and a breach of that act (and others) to refuse service based on gender.

Not necessarily - it could be viewed as a grey area, but this website gives examples of exemptions and what is not reasonable. If the service provider can provide reasonable objection. One of the examples:

A beauty therapist who operates on her own and provides massages in clients’ own homes only provides this service to women. She believes the restriction is objectively justified and it also involves physical contact between the client and herself, which is something she has a reasonable objection to. It is likely that the provision of the service in this way will come within the exception.

https://www.equalityhumanrights.com...ty-law-hairdressers-barbers-and-beauty-salons
 
Not necessarily - it could be viewed as a grey area, but this website gives examples of exemptions and what is not reasonable. If the service provider can provide reasonable objection. One of the examples:



https://www.equalityhumanrights.com...ty-law-hairdressers-barbers-and-beauty-salons

No that's just not correct.

The only time it's a grey area is of its intimate care of a disabled person, then a legal exemption certificate is issued by the council. Otherwise refusal based on gender is illegal and discrimination.
 
I see no issue with turning away peoplw who you dont have the skill sets to service. What I dont understand is why they would turn away someone who is basically a neighbour and bound to bring regular income. Not only that, hair and beuty staff are someone who gets constantly asked where to go for beauty, food and more. Word of mouth is the best advertisment
 
I see no issue with turning away peoplw who you dont have the skill sets to service. What I dont understand is why they would turn away someone who is basically a neighbour and bound to bring regular income. Not only that, hair and beuty staff are someone who gets constantly asked where to go for beauty, food and more. Word of mouth is the best advertisment

The only listed service that might have any relation to is waxing, none of the other services are gender spicific training. And unless atleast one person working in the salon offers waxing to each gender it would still be classed as discrimination.
 
Easy answer is no, it's not legal.

Gender is protected under the equality act 2010 and it would therefore be discrimination and a breach of that act (and others) to refuse service based on gender.

No, that’s not quite true but some Trans lobby groups are trying to convince everyone that sex and gender are the same thing. They’re not.

Sex is the protected characteristic as it is defined by your chromosomes at birth. There are two sexes, male and female. Gender is a social construct and anyone can choose their gender but you cannot change your biological sex.

There are specific exemptions under the Sex Discrimination Act that are sex based to protect women especially.

Women are not legally obliged to share everything with people who are born male. That’s why you have Women’s Sports, Womens Refuges, Women’s changing rooms and Women only salons.
 
I have a salon, but work alone. I do massage, waxing etc. My customers are 98% women anyway, so nothing to worry about, BUT in the past I've had creepy guys in for massage, so now I refuse anyone who wasn't recommended, such a current customer son or husband etc would be fine. I've got my own safety to think about and that should be everyone's first priority.

Its the same if you went into a steak house and demanded they made you a vegan meal. You don't have to cater for everyone, it's a businesses choice on what demographic they target regardless of money.
 
I have a salon, but work alone. I do massage, waxing etc. My customers are 98% women anyway, so nothing to worry about, BUT in the past I've had creepy guys in for massage, so now I refuse anyone who wasn't recommended, such a current customer son or husband etc would be fine. I've got my own safety to think about and that should be everyone's first priority.

Its the same if you went into a steak house and demanded they made you a vegan meal. You don't have to cater for everyone, it's a businesses choice on what demographic they target regardless of money.

So that's completely wrong.

By turning down male clients are are discriminating against them, I understand that there are some creeps. I have creepy female customers but I don't turn females down because that would be discrimination.

And I used to run restaurants and for several years now it's been a requirement to offer vegan and vegetarian meals after European law protected vegans and vegetarians under discrimination laws.
 
We're not under European Law anymore are we? In the UK that is. You've been in the resturant business Chriss87. I've been to 3 local restaurants and they only make vegetarian or vegan food, no meat on the menu at all, just like alot of places ive been only have meat options. To cater for only certain clientele isn't discrimination.
 
https://www.equalityhumanrights.com...ty-law-hairdressers-barbers-and-beauty-salons
"A beauty therapist who operates on her own and provides massages in clients’ own homes only provides this service to women. She believes the restriction is objectively justified and it also involves physical contact between the client and herself, which is something she has a reasonable objection to. It is likely that the provision of the service in this way will come within the exception"
 
https://www.equalityhumanrights.com...ty-law-hairdressers-barbers-and-beauty-salons
"A beauty therapist who operates on her own and provides massages in clients’ own homes only provides this service to women. She believes the restriction is objectively justified and it also involves physical contact between the client and herself, which is something she has a reasonable objection to. It is likely that the provision of the service in this way will come within the exception"

The laws have carried on now we have left the EU, restaurants don't have to sell meat options as that isn't protected unlike vegans and vegetarians.

If you have visited a restaurant that doesn't serve vegan or vegetarian meals and are a vegan or vegetarian then you have a right to report them.
 
https://www.equalityhumanrights.com...ty-law-hairdressers-barbers-and-beauty-salons
"A beauty therapist who operates on her own and provides massages in clients’ own homes only provides this service to women. She believes the restriction is objectively justified and it also involves physical contact between the client and herself, which is something she has a reasonable objection to. It is likely that the provision of the service in this way will come within the exception"

And yet again the original post is about a salon and not a lone worker. So this is yet again irrelevant.
To be able to refuse service to someone based on gender you need an exemption from the council. Which is only available for carers providing intimate care to a disabled person.
 
I have a salon, but work alone. I do massage, waxing etc. My customers are 98% women anyway, so nothing to worry about, BUT in the past I've had creepy guys in for massage, so now I refuse anyone who wasn't recommended, such a current customer son or husband etc would be fine. I've got my own safety to think about and that should be everyone's first priority.

Its the same if you went into a steak house and demanded they made you a vegan meal. You don't have to cater for everyone, it's a businesses choice on what demographic they target regardless of money.
I had more than a few inappropriate male clients in the past, all for massage, I used to work in a hotel, and it was rife. As a lone female therapist working on your own, you should have every right to feel safe in your workplace and also be able to decide who you are comfortable to work on and not work on. And you shouldn’t have to justify it. There are plenty of places that offer unisex treatments. This is just my personal opinion.
 
I had more than a few inappropriate male clients in the past, all for massage, I used to work in a hotel, and it was rife. As a lone female therapist working on your own, you should have every right to feel safe in your workplace and also be able to decide who you are comfortable to work on and not work on. And you shouldn’t have to justify it. There are plenty of places that offer unisex treatments. This is just my personal opinion.

And I've had similar with female clients.

But again this thread is about a salon, and it's definitely discrimination.
 

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