A former employee from Kennesaw State University in Kennesaw, Georgia says he was fired from his job at the campus bookstore earlier this month because he wore lipstick to work.
Stuart Morrison, who identifies as nonbinary and whose pronouns are he/him or they/them, says he was fired after being told his lipstick violated KSU’s employee handbook that governs personal appearance.
The 30-year-old tells the Atlanta Journal-Constitution the trouble began at a staff meeting on February 25 when his supervisor asked him to stop wearing lipstick to work after there had been “complaints about your unprofessional appearance.”
KSU’s employee handbook acknowledges that it’s “difficult” to implement a uniform dress code, but dictates that employees are “required to dress in appropriate attire and to behave in a professional, business-like manner.”
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After speaking to his supervisor, Morrison continued wearing black, blue, or green lipstick to work.
“I was wearing them, in part, to express that I’m nonbinary,” he says.
On March 3, he received a termination letter cited his failure to “discontinue wearing black, bright blue and bright green lipstick” and claimed the colors were “unprofessional” for someone in his position.
“Those color choices are considered unprofessional, particularly since you are in a position as Lead Retail Associate where there is high visibility and interaction with KSU community members,” the letter read.
The letter went on to state that Morrison failed to “tone down the lipstick color” a total of 18 times between October 2019 and February 2020. But who’s counting, right?
“Being fired is not a fun thing in general,” he says, “but it felt discriminatory. The fact that they chose to use that excuse just feels wrong.”
When asked for comment, Kennesaw State University spokeswoman Tammy DeMel says the school does not comment on personnel matter.
MacAdvisor
So, he wasn’t fired for wearing lipstick, but for wearing unprofessional shades of lipstick. Had he gone for a nice shade of pale pink or basic red, he’d have been fine?
jayceecook
That’s what it seems like. Many places of employment have stricter policies. Heck, the private high school I went to had some of the most asinine rules for how the guys needed to appear. And we were given detention, suspension, or in rare cases expulsion for non adherence. And many women are told in places of employment that some styles of makeup are “too loud” can’t be worn.
Though the fact that this bookstore regards itself as a place akin to high end boutique you’d find in NY, LA, Paris, Milan, etc is extremely hilarious.
jayceecook
“I was wearing them, in part, to express that I’m Non-Binary.”
Because only those 3 colors could express your gender identity? Did you sprain your arm reaching so far with that comment?
When I was younger there were places who would not hire me because of my body piercings, visible tattoos, and hair color. They never minced words and told be outright. “It violates are dress code.” One place made me wear a plaster over my eyebrow piercing. Yet nowhere in their handbook was that something they said couldn’t be seen. Yet it was deemed “unprofessional”.
Women across this country are told on a daily basis that their makeup or hair looks unprofessional or is “too loud” and they need to stop wearing it that way. Especially black women. So this feels like a case of a place of employment thinking too highly of itself and imposing a ridiculous yet vague dress code. Is it possible there are transphobic undertones to what they did? Possibly. But he gave them a legitimate, at least according to their dress code, reason for his dismissal.
Creamsicle
I personally hate the attitude that to be considered professional and competent, you need to present yourself like the most beige version of yourself. What you wear has no bearing on your ability to work. That attitude perpetuates incompetent leadership, because it emphasizes appearance over ability.
jayceecook
I agree with you mostly. There are times and jobs where what you’re wearing can be a hindrance to how well you perform. Overall though, yeah it is rather nonsensical.
DuMaurier
I wouldn’t take that as an absolute, but bookstore clerk is a job where it seems edgy is fine; and that’s going by someplace as Establishment as Barnes and Noble. There are workplaces where “beige” stuffiness is appropriate in dress and conduct, if only because clients expect it.
jayceecook
So I now see this is another instance of Queerty cherry picking details from an article to get clicks on their posts. You conveniently left out this:
“Morrison, who said he suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental illnesses that can contribute to memory loss, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that he also had issues with tardiness, needing time off work and forgetting his identification badge.
According to the letter, Morrison was cited for those issues and not following proper protocols 18 times between October and February. He said those reason were enough to fire him, so adding the lipstick issue felt unnecessary. The meeting over the lipstick is listed as the final bullet point in the termination letter.”
Jared MacBride
“Appropriate professional appearance” in a bookstore is pretty much an oxymoron.
lord.krath
It wanted to be different just like people that wear earrings or nose rings despite policies that expressly prohibit them as inappropriate. It achieved its goal its different now! It’s fired!
justyouandi
As jayceecook pointed out above, there is usually more to the story than we are told here on Queerty. The lipstick was likely only casually mentioned in his firing. Stuart Morrison would be a bad employee most anywhere he worked, and he probably goes out of his way to be just that. He loves the drama ….. and the headlines!
TamaraChing
Stuart Morrison was professionally warned. He made his decision and was terminated for not adhering to the suggestions made. So now he can find another place of employment and betcha he won’t wear nontraditional shades of lipstick, if any, to his job interviews. He made a choice and decision to continue to do what his supervisors at his workplace warned him about (I believe they were very professional in handling everything and documenting such so he cannot bring a lawsuit towards the university. (I am a former employee of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.)
Michael007
I guess because I’m pretty damned old I think this guy wearing lipstick to work is close to being insanity. What is this world coming to? If he thought it was his right to hang his dick out in public to show he was a man, I guess the libs would think this too was perfectly okay. I don’t care what sexual persuasion you are, when out in public, dress appropriately and stop trying to constantly seek attention to yourself. Mental illness and perversion are beginning to look the same.
James
GET LOST YOU IGNORANT HATE FILLED BORE. WHAT ARE YOU DOING ON QUEERTY WITH YOUR STUPID ATTIDUDE. GO BACK TO YOUR STINKING NAZI PARTY TRASH WEBSITE LOSER.
Heywood Jablowme
Oh well, isn’t that what the “non-binary” stuff is all about? Dressing like a clown to attract attention and then pretending to get offended if anyone stares (or god forbid, comments). Making everyone guess what your pronoun is and then pretending to get offended when they guess wrong. Filing frivolous Trump-style lawsuits that they can’t possibly win. Must be fun!
Yooper
Spot on.
James
FREEDOM FROM REPUBLICAN HATE IS WHAT IT IS ALL ABOUT.
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
Play stupid games….
Win stupid prizes….
Bob LaBlah
When we are unemployed and begging for a job we tell the employer that we have no problem bending over backward and kissing where the sun don’t shine. Once asked (as in please respect our dress code) we tend to forget what we promised to do. This queen sounds like she is looking for a settlement so she can move on from a job she knew damn well she didn’t want from the minute she left the interview. I say fire her ass and good luck with the lawsuit (just pray that I am not on the jury because if you win I would strongly suggest that you get no more than one days pay for your settlement).
Creamsicle
There would be no jury if the case ends in a settlement.