Disneyland’s Hijab-Wearing Employee: The Case for Why Imane Boudlal Should be Fired
Disneyland’s Hijab-Wearing Employee:
The Case for Why Imane Boudlal Should be Fired
Claim: Qazi cited two areas where Disneyland failed: 1. They didn’t respond to her request for two months, and 2. The agreement was for a scarf (rather than a customized head piece in keeping with the costume). But, according the Qazi, the “real question is ‘What’s the big deal?’”
Qudosi: Really Qazi? This is your legal question – “What’s the big deal?” The big deal is that a scarf is not part of the authorized Disney costume and Boudlal’s failure to 1. Repeatedly fail to comply with costuming, 2. Failure to accept another assignment that would allow her to wear her scarf “off stage”, and 3. Failure to accept the customized head piece show a lack of good faith and failure to comply with fair and adequate alternatives provided by the employer.
Claim: Qazi at one point directly states that there’s a fear Boudlal’s hijab may “scare off white customers.”
Qudosi: This is an unproven claim. There’s nothing Disney has done that validates this claim. In fact, their effort to reasonably accommodate Boudlal shows an effort to respect both Boudlal’s newfound religious beliefs and Disney’s own policies.
Claim: Qazi’s states that Boudlal’s “simple white scarf doesn’t contradict them [Disney’s costuming rules]”
Qudosi: Disney has clear defined costume standards for each area of the park, and no where in Storyteller’s Café or elsewhere in the park would you find a hijab of any kind. Qazi is not in a position to dictate Disney’s costume, especially considering that Boudlal signed a contract that clearly outlined these terms and did comply with them for two years before her recent protest.
Again, Disney takes theatrics very seriously, to the level that all employees are even referred to as “cast members”, costumes are called “wardrobe”, and being on Disney premises in front of guests is called “on stage” – so there’s clearly a theme that needs Boudlal needs to comply with.
Claim: Qazi states that Boudlal specifically wants the scarf as opposed to costuming alternatives since the alternatives are “hiding her religious identity.”
Qudosi: Wearing a scarf isn’t about a claim to religious identity. Some Muslim women wear the scarf because they feel the faith requires it (which it does not). If you choose to wear a scarf, you do it to cover your hair in the interest of modesty. It doesn’t matter how you cover your hair, just that it’s covered. If Boudlal feels that the costume alternatives “hide her religious identity” then she has a personal identity issue, and not a discrimination issue.
Claim: Qazi claims Disney is in violation of the Title VII protection of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
In fact, under 703(j), Disneyland is not required to grant Boudlal the special treatment of allowing her to wear her own non-costume hijab, because according to the Title VII, an employer is not required to “grant preferential treatment to any individual or to any group because of the race, color, religion, sex, or national origin of such individual or group on account of an imbalance which may exist…”
Under Title VII, Section 703 (g)(2), Disneyland is within it’s right to fire Boudlal. Section 703(g)(2) states: “…it shall not be unlawful employment practice…for an employer to discharge any individual from any position…if…such an individual has not fulfilled or has ceased to fulfill that requirement.”
Because Boudlal repeated broke Disney dress codes by refusing to accept their accommodations and wearing the hijab to work, she has failed to fulfill her contractual requirement. In my opinion, Disneyland would be within it’s legal rights to fire Boudlal – and I think they should.
See related article: Why Boudlal is Wrong
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Category: ORANGE COUNTY
About the Author (Author Profile)
Shireen Qudosi founded Qudosi Chronicles post 9-11 when realizing not enough Muslims were speaking out about the community’s shortcomings. Since it’s inception, Qudosi Chronicles has developed a broad and diverse following that breaks partisan lines and bridges faith groups. Shireen has been published in several leading industry publications, including PJ Media, Middle East Forum, Illume, among others. She’s also hosted several talks on Islam for the San Diego community. In addition to Qudosi Chronicles, she heads Qudosi Creative Partners – a content driven new media marketing boutique firm. In 2012, she also established Qahani, a handmade jewelry line that merges a South Asian heritage with contemporary design.Subscribe
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This is just another example of a Muslim woman trying to force her personal dress code onto the workplace where it is clearly inappropriate. Why doesn’t she apply for a job where they accept her Muslim garb.
Disney has a long standing reputation and rules for hiring employees and she singed a contract agreeing to their format, she purposedly broke it. FIRE HER!
She should be fired right now. She should be greatful that she even has a job. If she says whats the big deal, then whats the big deal for her not to wear it.
so basically…Muslim women should not be accepted for who they are? Hijab is the identity of a Muslim woman, and if that is rejected, you have essentially rejected her and asked her to conform into what she is not.
Also..African American racism in the US was pretty harsh and they were not and are STILL not accepted in various positions in society. They have to fight to break out of it, just as Muslims need to fight to break out of the BLATANT discrimination being done against them — ESPECIALLY in the job market (ask men with beards and women who cover their hair how difficult it has been to be accepted into society as Muslims dressing their part.
Imane is fighting for all Muslim women, that their identity be accepted in society…even if its as a simple hostess in a restaurant in Downtown Disney. She is not “on stage” as is claimed. She is a hostess and that too, not even within the Disney Parkgrounds, rather in the outskirts of the Park where there are stores such as Sephora, Jamba juice, etc. Her case is not the first of its kind, Muslim women who wear headscarf have been discriminated against on several occasions (McDonalds, A&F, Hollister, etc.) and someone needs to stand up and fight for what this country claims to offer, freedom to practice ones religion without being discriminated. against.
Sometimes change is needed, and you need to fight even if it means people will dislike you. Ask Martin Luther King how mcuh he struggled, and there were many people like you and the commentators below who were against King as well…and that is what essentially lead to his assassination.