ADDED 12/21/18 - The petition has officially been delivered and I am in contact with HR. We have discussed further the nuances of the language used and how that can negatively impact certain groups. We will be continuing this conversation until we can come into a better understanding, and I do have lots more hope that we will all leave feeling heard and cared about. I love where I work and I wouldn't have brought attention to this if I didn't feel this company wasn't capable of making the right choice and keeping space open for all voices. Thank you to those who have shown support and who have reached out! Please feel free to continue to share your thoughts and sign the petition, but I ask we all be respectful and understand this is a process.
Implement a dress code that doesn't impede on an individuals right to self expression or create an unsafe work environment.
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Although I'm not a fan of uniforms (especially if poorly made ones constructed without comfort in mind), I can get with some of their function like how they allow customers to identify who works at an establishment or who to ask for help.
But I've sat on this for a day or two, called my HR rep to voice my concerns, unpacked the multitude of hurt this shook into me, and unpacked some more after leaving the conversation unheard and like I was making too big a deal. I listened as she used coded language like "professional", "neutral", "natural", "soft" to describe the look they were trying to go for. And words like "theatrical" and "distracting" to describe the makeup, jewelry, nail art, etc that was no longer acceptable. I couldn't understand how the way someone presents themselves could be too distracting or what was even wrong with standing out. I thought about how I was told the company wasn't trying to take away our individuality, but wanted a "centralized" look. That seemed so ironic to me. That in order to align with what the higher ups think is professional, we have to completely change our hair or the way we do our makeup. I thought about how language like "neat", "clean, well-groomed" facial hair, "angry (eyebrow) shapes" and "tasteful" could be used as covert racism to my (and any other POCs) detriment. How this wasn't the first time I felt like I was trading not just my time but my entire being for a paycheck. I thought about how having control of at least my body made me feel like I had some power.
It left me wondering how I could be so impressive from my cover letter, resume, and application. Impressive enough to land an interview, and impressive enough to be offered a job...only to be told over a year later that there is no room for the things that make me ME.
Why is this important?
As we reach a time where more radical ideas are being embraced, it begs the question why anyone's appearance (as long as health and safety are considered) would affect the quality of work they are capable of providing? It has been proven at a number of successful businesses like Google and Apple that allowing people to present themselves in a way that is comfortable to them actually improves retention of employees and produces an environment that feels open to creativity, collaboration, and trust. Most importantly, hair color, makeup, nail art, colorful accessories, and clothes have been a huge part of black, brown and queer culture. So what is it that we're saying about these people's work ethic and abilities? Why must we go so far to hinder expression? I find it odd for a company that uses the very gentrified logo of a lotus flower which often represents life, beauty, and passion to not let their employees stand out and represent their diversity. In the history of cannabis, we have seen how black and brown people in particular are negatively affected by heavy policing. One of the easiest ways of fighting against oppressive behavior is to allow workers to stand out like a lotus flower against the murky waters of monotony we often see in the work force. Though weed has a long and rich history, the industry surrounding it is anything but old-fashioned and should not be represented as such. In fact, the industry thrives because of people's constant innovations and ability to bring diversity to a plant that helps many groups. If we can agree that there is power in providing guests a choice in the way they medicate and treating them as an individual instead of just a patient, it makes sense to also give workers the power to be able to show up as an image of themselves (so long as it doesn't also impede on the health and safety of the work space). We are medicinal, we are not doctors nor pharmacists and shouldn't be forced to present ourselves as such. When we work in an environment where we acknowledge there is more than just pills as a health option, it would be ignorant of us to present ourselves as though there is only one way to be professional.
