I’m being asked as part of the uniform, to wear this straw hat which as a black man, makes ME feel uncomfortable. It brings back images of sharecroppers on plantations, some of who were my own ancestors, (great grandfather, etc). Even some of the guests seem to be uncomfortable seeing me in it, while others love it, some, I believe for the reasons I mentioned above.
I feel like I look like Lakeith from “get out”.
https://imgur.com/a/AtOnanf
It’s a real cultural issue FOR ME and my superiors I believe have sensed that so just the other day my FOM (front office manager) told me “HR is coming to meet with you” and I asked, “about that HAT?!” He said “yes, about the hat.”
I think they know it’s tricky territory, especially since the people who chose the outfit are Europeans who have zero clue of the “cultural sensitivity” of the outfit nor how to actually address this issue with me.
My direct superiors including my FOM are NOT these said Europeans but they seem to get a kick out seeing me wear it and telling me to “put it on.” “Where’s the HAT?!” “WHERE’S YOUR HAT?!” It’s a constant struggle, and now they want to push it “upstairs” it seems…
I mean there’s more to the story (isn’t there always??) like the fact that my direct superiors also make quite racially charged comments to me and other black males like “lower your voice, this isn’t a DICE GAME”, “this isn’t the BLOCK”, “this isn’t the HOOD”. With, “this isn’t a DICE GAME” being the most frequent comment.
So anyway I’m to have this meeting with HR, who no one has even met before because our on site HR rep left MONTHS AGO, never to be replaced. When she left, a whole bunch of other HR were leaving/getting laid off as well so now we have had a brand new team for at least 3-4 months now. No one has ever met these people.
An employee DIED a few weeks ago. Everyone was devastated. Not ONE memo from HR. Not ONE on-site visit to see the mental health of the employees. Not one phone call. Now, they want a “meeting with you to discuss the HAT.” ok.
I’m sitting on READY right now.
Any advice? I do like this job, and I need it right now and I can’t really afford to go to war but there are somethings you have to put your foot down with these scumbags.
Thank you.