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Alopecia grrrrs
Although I have bad hair days, my bad hair days consist of me wishing people were more accepting and tolerant rather than wishing my hair would grow back. As some of you may be aware of, I am looking for another job at the time and everyday that I go into my current job I hate it more and more. Everyday the balony grows and discrimination becomes more and more evident. I didn't get the sales job I was meant to have - everything I've done in my past, careerwise, has led me to that job. Their excuse - they are looking for a sales expert! Eventually things work their way down the grapevine and I discovered that it was because I have no hair. No one ever chooses me to help in another department other than the front end (which is considered a dead end job by the way) and those with less seniority seem to be climbing the right ladders. I volunteer, I help, I go out of my damn way to make everyone's life that much easier and better, I've become a doormat. I used to think I'd do that stuff to look good and let it help me get ahead but who am I kidding. If you live in Canada and you have alopecia - wear the damn wig to work if nowhere else! It's one thing if you have the job and lose your hair but when you lose your hair before getting the job, good luck getting your foot in the door and if you do, that's where your foot stays!
The reason I'm so adamant about my work being discriminatory is simply because they are racist as well. On Monday last week I was working with one of the other dead enders who was complaining that people treated him differently because he had dark skin. Today I actually noticed that all of the managers (except the store manager who has no hand in the hiring process and is black) and all but two people on the sales floor are white. All the colours are in the front/dead end, the people who get walked on and abused by not just the rest of the store but the customers also. Another woman I work with, also on front end, has female pattern baldness. One of our supervisors was giving us mega grief and we felt as though attitudes were not in our favour but luckily her father works there and set this manager straight, haven't had a problem with her since but she's not quite a manager either or the one responsible for my advancement. I've researched the company I work for online and found that in general they've been sued at many different locations for discrimination. It really isn't good that so many companies get away with treated people unfairly, what kind of world do we live in where people can't be treated equally with dignity and respect? How does one go about complaning or sueing them, if I even should to begin with, when it's my word against theirs? I know this discrimination exsists and face it with every new job (I go through many). I'm sick of it, I want it to end and I wanna stick my alopecian foot up all their ignorant butts and show em all what life is truly about! If anyone is aware of a more accepting country or workplace please fill me in! If you've ever had to deal with discrimination in the work world and made a difference, please, I could use your advise! I just feel like I'm doomed to hide my great and wonderful shinyness and my me-ness from now on at work. I'll have to hide it, keep it secret, lock away the key and pretend to be a moron drone like everyone else then sweep it all under a convenient doormat of ignorance. I'm not sick of alopecia, I'm sick of people!!!
The reason I'm so adamant about my work being discriminatory is simply because they are racist as well. On Monday last week I was working with one of the other dead enders who was complaining that people treated him differently because he had dark skin. Today I actually noticed that all of the managers (except the store manager who has no hand in the hiring process and is black) and all but two people on the sales floor are white. All the colours are in the front/dead end, the people who get walked on and abused by not just the rest of the store but the customers also. Another woman I work with, also on front end, has female pattern baldness. One of our supervisors was giving us mega grief and we felt as though attitudes were not in our favour but luckily her father works there and set this manager straight, haven't had a problem with her since but she's not quite a manager either or the one responsible for my advancement. I've researched the company I work for online and found that in general they've been sued at many different locations for discrimination. It really isn't good that so many companies get away with treated people unfairly, what kind of world do we live in where people can't be treated equally with dignity and respect? How does one go about complaning or sueing them, if I even should to begin with, when it's my word against theirs? I know this discrimination exsists and face it with every new job (I go through many). I'm sick of it, I want it to end and I wanna stick my alopecian foot up all their ignorant butts and show em all what life is truly about! If anyone is aware of a more accepting country or workplace please fill me in! If you've ever had to deal with discrimination in the work world and made a difference, please, I could use your advise! I just feel like I'm doomed to hide my great and wonderful shinyness and my me-ness from now on at work. I'll have to hide it, keep it secret, lock away the key and pretend to be a moron drone like everyone else then sweep it all under a convenient doormat of ignorance. I'm not sick of alopecia, I'm sick of people!!!
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Comment by JeffreySF on March 29, 2009 at 6:55pm
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Oh Carol Sorry your having a Grrrrr day.
If you are in a union talk to your steward. If you arent in a union tell your supervisor/manager your feelings of discrimination. If they have any clue at all the behaviour will cease.
That aside, Have you ever thought about a career in the medical field? There are loads of job opportunities and the people in these professions are generally pretty good people.
Hope this helps and give me a shout.
Jeffrey
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Comment by Karen Froehner on March 29, 2009 at 7:40pm
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Carol welcome to reality. Alopecians are just now waking people up to the fact that we exist! Now you need to come to decide do you want to eat and live or bat your head bloody against the wall. Put the wig on like a costume. Make each day a day of performance cause you are actually on the world stage. Then, make it your Damn business to get into a position of power to hire fellow alopecians with them in positions of power over the hairy ones! That is the other way to deal with this without the cost of lawyers - at least this how I think. There is No Where in this world where discrimination does not exist. That is a fantasy that ads and religion sells. Its a great concept but not reality. That is not to say there are people that attempt this type of existence - like you, myself and those that we are dear and close with. Hang in there don't get angry and frustrated get even smartly! ; )
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Comment by Nicole on March 30, 2009 at 10:32am
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The company you work for will not last long if they conitune to treat people that way. You should continue lookign for a better job where people will accpet you for being you. As long as you are helping the company bring money in should all that matter. You are a strong person and keep being you.
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Comment by Carol on March 30, 2009 at 11:31am
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I wish I did have money for a wig right now but unfortunately I'm only working about 16 hours a week, sometimes less and I can't even pay my bills right now. This morning I called a 1-800 number we have for reporting things, which I did anonimously but I have to call back on April 9th to find out what they did and they have more questions for me. The company I work for is huge and through some online research I discovered that they've had hundreds of discrimination lawsuits. The crap people can get away with is incredible! I've entered a radio contest and will hopefully be called to the show for a chance to win a lot of money among other things. Then I can pay my debts that have been mounting as well as buy a nice new wig to look for a better job. Over 7 years customer experience (waitress, sales, manager, tour guide, etc) and 10 in various manufacturing settings (including welding and assembling electronics, wiring fixtures, etc.) - anyone interested?? Or you can help me out and vote for me in the contest at: http://www.edge.ca/Contests/GetALife/Finalists/View.aspx?ID=113578
Vote as often as you like, the more the merrier! :) Thanks
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I agree full heartedly that we all could be worse off but it's still nice to see that some people can understand what I'm going through. I'm just letting off steam too, we all have our bad "hair" days, normally I keep a positive attitude and I'm full of energy, normally I don't mind being the center of attention and love being the life of the party. Many of my coworkers are great people! In general, it upsets me when someone is put into a position of authority and abuses it in this fashion. Most company policies state that discrimination shouldn't be an issue but it's a very delicate matter and often needs to be proven - which is the hard part. I sent an email to the Canadian Human Rights Commission about how I might go about getting alopecia listed as a disability so that we too may avoid or fight against discrimination in Canada. I'll let you all know how that goes!
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Comment by Rumpleteazer on March 30, 2009 at 6:03pm
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What a bunch of assholes....damn
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Comment by Tallgirl on March 30, 2009 at 11:28pm
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We all know you can sing...why not do that? Or teach what you know in a community school?
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Comment by Dielle on March 31, 2009 at 1:01am
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Maybe start looking for a job in the U.S? If you could get a work visa then you would be able to stay here. I used to live in Canada (born there), so I know it is a difficult place to make a lawsuit successful. In the U.S however, employers fear a lawsuit and take every chance they get to make sure they aren't discriminating against anyone. Especially with the Americans with disabilities act, you cannot be fired or not hired because of a medical condition, and if you can prove that they fired you/didn't hire you because of it you have a pretty easy lawsuit on your hands. In general the U.S is pretty accepting of people that are different because they have to be, it isn't a myth that Americans are sue happy! Is there no manager in the company that might be sympathetic to your cause? I would try and befriend one of the managers in power because if you can get one on your side it is more likely that others will follow. Sorry you are having a bad day, they suck really bad and somehow they get us periodically even when we thought we were "fine" with the way things are. Hopefully tomorrow will be better!
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