Dear Geeks

[Chickafish]

It's taken me a few drafts to try to word this as non-offensive as possible. By posting this, my intent is not to anger, offend, or insult anyone. My intent is to remind everyone that this is a professional forum full of professionals (and professionals-in training), and as professionals we should act as such. I can understand everyone's passion for this industry, and everyone's eagerness to educate our clients due to the lack of regulation within our industry, but I'm starting to think that the line between wanting to educate/bring awareness and discrimination is becoming blurred.

We use the term NSS (non-standard salon) often, but how many of us actually know what that is? Are some of us just using it a substitute for a more offensive term, or do we all agree that anyone from anywhere has the potential to become a non-standard tech when not performing treatments and using products and equipment the way they were intended to be performed/used and possibly risking harm on clients? We make claims that certain techs use MMA (methyl methacrylate) liquid, but do we really know that for a fact (took their bottles to the lab to get tested or saw the labels and MSDS) or are we just assuming? Do we think a tech wearing a mask and gloves is merely adhering to PSE (personal safety equipment) protocols, or are we just assuming something fishy's going on? Are we all passing on genuine professional advice to our clients when we try to educate them?

I'm writing to request that we refrain from using racial references of any type on these forums, and kindly remind those that do/will do to do the same. This forum site has people from all over the world, from all walks of life, and although some of the posts might not have been set out to offend anyone, the fact is- it does, and it also goes against forum rules (see Commandment 18 of Commandments of a Geek- which we all should have read when signing up and making our accounts). We are on these forums giving and receiving professional opinions and advice, therefore, what we write is a reflection of ourselves and our businesses. It should be our responsibility to ensure only professional opinions and advice are shared. There are enough places, as is, to voice our personal opinions.

I'm not trying to change the way people think, or how they personally feel. Everyone is entitled to their personal opinions no matter how wrong others may think it is. But as professionals, I do hope that some of us will kindly think about our wording before hitting the post button as I have when I wrote this piece.

Love, peace, and chicken grease,
Chickafish

P.S. This was originally a post for nail geeks, but I was advised this is a global site issue so it belongs here.

 

[tanfastic]

Well said my friend, well said !!!

 

[Biljana]

Agreed

 

[Crystal colleen]

Great post doll.x

 

[NailsXpress]

Well said, some people do get rather uppity without thinking. Lets hope they will now read, and re read their messages before hitting that all important key.

 

[Chrysalis]

Well said I totally agree:biggrin:
Just mentioning chicken grease? Lolol

 

[Pickles]

You hit it right on the noggin'! Well done! :wink2:

 

[Chickafish]

Thank you all for the support. It's a pretty sensitive subject (especially for those on the receiving end of it who have to hold our tongues when we see it), and I really hope we can all help keep these professional forums and our industry prejudice-free. There is no room for discrimination in any professional industry... but there's always room for chicken grease. :lol:

 

[dandelionpoppy]

Chicka makes great sense with this thread.
There is no place for prejudice in this world, let alone this site.

Remember, prejudice means pre-judging. Nobody needs that!

I hope this isn't going against SG rules, but maybe those of us who agree with and support Chicka's views should like her post?

 

[Lynne Baker]

Or better still hit the green button and give her some rep points!

 

[dandelionpoppy]

Good thinking, Lynne!

 

[Victoriabar]

Well said Chica, infact very well said x

Sent from my Nexus 7 using SalonGeek

 

[Chickafish]

I'm only able to see so many reps so I'm sorry if I missed anyone. Thank you very much, all of you!

 

[Leely]

Well said xx


Sent from my iPhone using SalonGeek app

 

[izzidoll]

I too was extremely saddened to have seen so many posts being reported to the Moderation Team over the last few weeks, because of racial references.

I for one cannot tell a persons ethnic origin just by looking at them, nor would I judge someone's ability to carry out their trade because of it. So why do so many people do this?

There was such a huge outcry and even a thread on here when a z list celeb said she judged children by there given name....yet people seem to think branding a whole sub continents nail techs as somehow sub standard is acceptable

Lets hope chicka has stopped that idea right in its tracks with this thread and made everyone think a little bit more about racial stereotyping and prejudice before they post on here.

 

[Silver Witch]

Well said xx

Sent from my GT-S5830i using SalonGeek

 

[classixuk]

I had to ask what NSS meant a few weeks ago, and as I understand it from the reply I was given here it means a salon who uses electrical equipment such as mini drills during their nail services.

How is it racist though? That's the part I need educating on I guess. Anyone?

 

[squidgernetball]

I had to ask what NSS meant a few weeks ago, and as I understand it from the reply I was given here it means a salon who uses electrical equipment such as mini drills during their nail services.

How is it racist though? That's the part I need educating on I guess. Anyone?

It is usually a generalisation on the race of people working in salons that provide cheap nails! I think many nail techs on here use electric drills well, many people don't use them well at all unfortunately!

 

[Lynne Baker]

NSS tends to mean salons which don't use branded products such as CND, EZ Flow, Young Nails etc. They are known for employing people who have an oriental look to them, but this does NOT mean that their standards are always lower than ours; there are plenty of Caucasian origin whose standards are less than satisfactory!
The racist bit comes in when people call NSS salons "Chinese", or, "Vietnamese".
I've seen evidence of some truly astounding nail work done to the highest imaginable standards from people of far eastern ethnicity, and it's just too darn wrong to suggest that if they're foreign they must be rubbish.

 

[classixuk]

It is usually a generalisation on the race of people working in salons that provide cheap nails! I think many nail techs on here use electric drills well, many people don't use them well at all unfortunately!

NSS tends to mean salons which don't use branded products such as CND, EZ Flow, Young Nails etc. They are known for employing people who have an oriental look to them, but this does NOT mean that their standards are always lower than ours; there are plenty of Caucasian origin whose standards are less than satisfactory!
The racist bit comes in when people call NSS salons "Chinese", or, "Vietnamese".
I've seen evidence of some truly astounding nail work done to the highest imaginable standards from people of far eastern ethnicity, and it's just too darn wrong to suggest that if they're foreign they must be rubbish.

Thank you for the clarification ladies.


@lynne ... So glad you posted that because I was about to post the same.


I was wondering how on earth a nail salon can be deemed rubbish or sub par simply because the technician isn't white? That does seem very racist indeed.


So an NSS salon simply means a salon who don't use a regular brand such as CND, and I am guessing probably therefore charge less for their nail services?


But you get this in beauty and hair too...salons who use the cheapest colour, or advertise facials when all they are using is Sally's moisturiser and some fullers earth. Why does it cause such contention in the nail forum? Is it because of the price competition?