How many of you took your child with disabilities shopping for school clothes recently? What would you have done if the store in which you were shopping clearly discriminated against your child, and even embarrassed him/her because of their disability?
I bet you would do the same thing that Molly Maxson’s mother did – raise a huge, gigantic stink about it. I know I would.
Molly was shopping with her sister at Abercrombie and Fitch, an extremely popular store for teenagers who want the latest ‘look’. Molly has Autism and needed her sister’s help in the dressing room to try on clothes. Abercrombie and Fitch refused to let Molly’s sister help her, citing problems with shoplifting and a store ban on more than one person in a dressing room. Molly was further humiliated by having to listen to her mother and sister continually ask for accommodations while other customers were standing around.
Molly has been vindicated and Abercrombie and Fitch was fined $115,000 for their actions. But this wasn’t the first time the clothing retailer showed its true colors regarding people with disabilities.
Riam Dean was a shop assistant at Abercrombie and Fitch in London. Riam, who was born with her left forearm missing, claimed she was forced to work in the stockroom of the US firm's London store because she did not fit its strict "look" policy. Miss Dean also won her lawsuit against the company.
It goes without saying, at least for me, that we will NEVER be shopping at Abercrombie and Fitch, and I will strongly encourage everyone I know to follow our lead. How about you?
I happen to love the tanks from Abercrombie kids. They fit me the best. I do always wonder why I bother to go in there now that I shop malls in my chair. I always get stuck between the heavy wood display tables. I take delight when I chip one though :) I guess now I'll find myself new tanks...
ReplyDeleteCheryl, trying to navigate most store aisles with a chair is one of my pet peeves. In some of my less polite moments, I've been known to sign deeply enough for sales associates to hear me, and then say "Well, I guess they don't want us to shop here." as we are heading out the door. :)
ReplyDeleteI hate the snooty little pricks who work in all the ones I've been anyway. Boycotting them for a better reason works for me.
ReplyDeleteI showed this to my kids... two more boycotters on board!
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