Mad Wax in Windsor, Ontario, Canada
A hair removal business in Windsor, Canada must face a Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario complaint after allegedly denying their services to a transgender woman.
The complainant seeks compensation of $50,000 [£28,758.06; €32,968.50] for ‘immense harm to [her] dignity.’
What happened?
According to the complaint, the unnamed trans woman contacted Mad Wax in Windsor back in March to inquire about leg waxing. At this time, she asked if transgender women were welcome for waxing services. She was reportedly told that a manager would follow up.
When Mad Wax’s manager, Jason Carruthers, returned her call, he allegedly told her that Mad Wax doesn’t provide waxing services to men. Additionally, he informed her that the staff waxer was a Muslim woman who was uncomfortable waxing male parts. Carruthers said no other staffers at Mad Wax could accommodate her.
The trans woman attempted to educate Carruthers on his duty to accommodate, but eventually sought waxing elsewhere.
Carruthers, president and CEO of Mad Wax Windsor Camp Inc., confirmed to CTV News that he received the complaint. He is being legally advised by Ray Colautti, a lawyer in Ontario.
‘All clients regardless of sex, gender, gender identity or sexual orientation are welcome,’ Carruthers 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.’
The complaint
The complaint filed with the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario states Carruthers’ ‘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.’
According to the Windsor Star, Carruthers is mounting a public relations campaign to clear the name of his business in light of the complaint.
‘There’s not much I can say right now because the matter is before the tribunal,’ the trans woman’s lawyer, Megan Evans Maxwell, told the Windsor Star.
