Trans woman files human rights complaint against Canadian spa that refused to wax her
Mad Wax, Ontario
A Canadian spa is facing a human rights tribunal for denying treatment to a trans woman.
Mad Wax, located in Windsor, Ontario, is accused of causing the unidentified woman “immense harm to my dignity.” The woman is seeking $50,000 in compensation.
The woman filed a complaint with the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario claiming she was refused because she is trans.
The complainant said she had first called to inquire whether the spa welcomed trans women back in March. According to CTV News Windsor, she was told a manager would get in touch with her.
Later, she was allegedly told by manager Jason Carruthers that Mad Wax didn’t provide waxing services for men, and that the waxing artist was a Muslim woman who was uncomfortable working on male parts.
Carruthers said no other Mad Wax employee could service her.
According to the complaint, the woman tried to educated the manager on his duty to accommodate.
Canadian law has been improved to reflect the rights of transgender people in the country and prevent discrimination. As a result, the Canadian Human Rights Act states that employers and services in Ontario must provide “accommodations for transgender or gender non-conforming persons when necessary.”
The complaint reads that Mad Wax’s “refusal to provide me with leg-waxing services because I am a transgender woman, and their disclosing my name, gender identity and personal information to various media outlets has left me feeling threatened, exposed, with my rights violated in terms of seeking services as a woman in the Windsor-Essex community.”
Hot wax
Carruthers, the CEO of Mad Wax, said that he did not want to encroach on the beliefs of his staff.
“All clients regardless of sex, gender, gender identity or sexual orientation are welcome,” he said in a statement.
“However, we also welcome staff members and respect their religious beliefs and feelings of safety and dignity in regards to the right not to perform waxing services on males or male genitals.”
Carruthers said the conversation he had with the complainant was about a Brazilian wax rather than a leg wax.
“When we’ve been asked about a male Brazilian wax in the past we tell them we’re not able to provide that service and they move on,” Carruthers said. ”It’s never been a issue.”
