This hiring manager appears to not care about diversity in the workplace—instead, they seem to have chosen their physical “type.” Many call the move quite problematic.
In a viral video nearing two million views as of Sunday morning, server Jessie (@bowlapeas) showed videos of nine of her fellow servers, and they all clearly have one thing in common.
They’re blondes.
“POV the hiring manager had a type,” the text overlay reads. In the video’s caption, Jesse adds, “Can i interest you in a little blonde server…or the other little blonde server?”
Some people in the comments section pointed out that the homogeny probably gets confusing for customers.
“I just know everyone gets their waitress confused,” the top comment with more than 26,000 likes read.
“My waitress was the blonde one!” another wrote.
“Took me 6 seconds to realize it wasnt the same person every time,” a person said.
@bowlapeas can i interest you in a little blonde server…or the other little blonde server? (RIP 💐 those who have passed on to bigger things @Retrihwcm icam @MADDY BURNS ♬ Lady hear me tonight X Ali G –
Viewers share experiences with questionable hiring practices
“Restaurant I cooked at only hired waitresses if they were hot, went to facebook instagram to see what they looked like, his words we don’t hire ‘ugo’s’ he was 40,” one commenter shared.
“The last place i served at had 2 other girls w dark hair, bangs, and tattoos,” another added.
There were also plenty of comments, mostly from men, saying that they’d be in “heaven” in a restaurant with the many blonde servers.
And while this seems like textbook hiring discrimination, it’s more complicated than that.
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission protects workers from discrimination when the issue involves the following:
- Age
- Race or ethnicity
- Religion
- Marital status, family, or pregnancy
- Birthplace, country of origin, or citizenship
- Disability
- Gender, sex, or sexual orientation
In some situations, people are denied jobs because of these factors, face unfair treatment and harassment, or even get retaliated against.
However, notice that physical appearance (aside from race and ethnicity) isn’t included in the list.
How ‘pretty privilege’ affects job prospects
According to labor and employment lawyers from the firm Husch Blackwell, “pretty privilege” is an unspoken advantage in many workplaces, even if it’s unconscious. A person’s physical appearance—like weight, height, fitness level, tattoos, piercings, and other physical features, including hair—isn’t protected by law.
The CROWN Act—a legal measure that would protect employees from discrimination based on natural hair, texture, and hairstyles associated with race and national origin—has gained momentum nationwide. But this wouldn’t apply in this situation, given that the grand majority of the servers appear to be white.
Michigan is the only state with laws against height and weight discrimination, and some local governments, like Santa Cruz, also have additional protections.
While “pretty privilege” discrimination isn’t necessarily illegal, Husch Blackwell recommends that companies implement policies to mitigate this bias.
“Pretty privilege is a pervasive but often overlooked phenomenon in the workplace. By acknowledging its existence and taking proactive steps to address it, employers and employees can create a more inclusive and equitable work environment where individuals are valued for their skills, contributions, and character, rather than their appearance,” the law article read.
The Daily Dot reached out to Jessie for comment via Instagram and TikTok direct message.
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