British Airways Stewardess Fired for Not Wearing Muslim Robe

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http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article6169989.ece
April 26, 2009
BMI told stewardess to wear Muslim robe

<!-- END: Module - Main Heading --><!--CMA user Call Diffrenet Variation Of Image --><!-- BEGIN: Module - M24 Article Headline with no image (a) --> <!-- getting the section url from article. This has been done so that correct url is generated if we are coming from a section or topic --><!-- Print Author name associated with the article --><!-- Print Author name from By Line associated with the article --> Jon Ungoed-Thomas

<!-- END: Module - M24 Article Headline with no image --><!-- Article Copy module --><!-- BEGIN: Module - Main Article --><!-- Check the Article Type and display accordingly--><!-- Print Author image associated with the Author--><!-- Print the body of the article--><style type="text/css"> div#related-article-links p a, div#related-article-links p a:visited { color:#06c; } </style><!-- Pagination --><!--Display article with page breaks --> A BRITISH air stewardess was sacked for refusing to fly to Saudi Arabia after she was ordered to wear a traditional Islamic robe and walk behind male colleagues.
Lisa Ashton, a £15,000-a-year stewardess with BMI, was told that in public areas in Saudi Arabia she was required to wear a black robe, known as an abaya. This covers everything but the face, feet and hands. She was told to follow her male colleagues, irrespective of rank.
Ashton, 37, who was worried about security in the country, refused to fly there, claiming the instructions were discriminatory. She was sacked last April.
“It’s not the law that you have to walk behind men in Saudi Arabia, or that you have to wear an abaya, and I’m not going to be treated as a second-class citizen,” Ashton said last week.



<!--#include file="m63-article-related-attachements.html"--><!-- BEGIN: Module - M63 - Article Related Attachements --><script type="text/javascript"> <!-- function pictureGalleryPopup(pubUrl,articleId) { var newWin = window.open(pubUrl+'template/2.0-0/element/pictureGalleryPopup.jsp?id='+articleId+'&&offset=0&&sectionName=Faith','mywindow','menubar=0,resizable=0,width=1000,height=711'); } //--></script><!-- BEGIN: Comment Teaser Module --><!-- END: Module - M63 - Article Related Attachements --><!-- Call Wide Article Attachment Module --><!--TEMPLATE:call file="wideArticleAttachment.jsp" /--> “It’s outrageous. I’m a proud Englishwoman and I don’t want these restrictions placed on myself.”
Saudi experts and companies that recruit women to work in the country say it is a “myth” that western women are required to walk behind men. There is no requirement for them to wear the abaya in public, though many do.
Earlier this year an employment tribunal in Manchester ruled that BMI was justified in imposing “rules of a different culture” on staff and cleared it of sexual discrimination. Ashton has consulted Liberty, the human rights organisation, and may seek a judicial review of the decision.
Ashton joined BMI in March 1996, flying to the Caribbean, the United States and India. Based in Manchester, she was told in the summer of 2005 that BMI was starting a service to Saudi Arabia and she might be required to work on it.
The Foreign Office was then advising visitors of a “threat of terrorism” in the country. Ashton did not want to travel there because of the security risks, and was offended by the rules for staff travelling to the region.
A BMI document circulated to staff who might travel to Saudi Arabia stated: “It is expected that female crew members will walk behind their male counterparts in public areas such as airports no matter what rank.”
Staff were also given abayas and were required to put them on when leaving the aircraft. Ashton, a practising Christian, was advised by union officials that it was considered a part of the uniform and she could face disciplinary action if she did not wear it.
Ashton said she did not want to fly to Saudi Arabia, but wished to continue flying long-haul routes. The firm said she could transfer to short-haul flights but that would have meant a pay cut of about 20%. She declined to switch to short-haul flights.
On June 13, 2007, she was told she was rostered for a flight from London to Saudi Arabia and refused to go. She was dismissed for refusing to fly and for making it clear she would not travel to Saudi Arabia.
Her letter of dismissal said it was “proportionate” to ask female employees to walk behind men out of respect for Saudi culture. BMI has also defended its decision to require female staff to wear abayas.
The Foreign Office advises women to dress “conservatively” but does not specifically advise wearing an abaya in public places. It also does not refer to any rule or convention that western women should walk behind men.
In a legal case in 2002 Colonel Martha McSally launched a legal action over American military orders that female servicewomen should wear an abaya in public places in Saudi Arabia when American women diplomats and the wives of servicemen were not expected to wear the garment. The Senate subsequently passed legislation that prohibited defence officials from requiring female personnel to wear abayas.
In the employment tribunal decision over Ashton’s case it was ruled there was no evidence that women would regard BMI’s requirements on wearing the abaya, or walking behind men, as “placing them under any disadvantage”. Ashton’s case was dismissed.
The firm said last week the tribunal ruling was “self-explanatory” and would not comment.
Since leaving BMI, Ashton has embarked on a musical career. She said one of her first songs, Shame, Shame, Shame, performed by the band Looby, was inspired by the airline.
 

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I don't agree with any of this.

However; she should have never taken this job with advance knowledge of stipulations she may not agree with.
 

Honey Badger Don't Give A Shit
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Another excellent example of why self-employment rocks steady
 

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I don't agree with any of this.

However; she should have never taken this job with advance knowledge of stipulations she may not agree with.

Yeah, but she started the job in 1996 and was advised in 2005 that they would start service to Saudi Arabia. She was assigned the flight in 2007 so it's not like when she was hired she was told she would have to wear it.
 

Honey Badger Don't Give A Shit
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And according to the article pasted in the OP, she was not fired for "not wearing a Muslim robe", but rather because she refused to accept the assignment to fly the SA route.

I'm sure she'll be better off going to work somewhere where she can determine where she goes to work and what she wears.
 

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I hope she sues the fuck out of BA and ends up owning the airline. Fuck 'em!
 

"Here we go again"
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I don't see what the story is, if you don't do what your employer tells you to do - you lose your job.



Is this news to anyone?
 

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I don't see what the story is, if you don't do what your employer tells you to do - you lose your job.



Is this news to anyone?

Not always. If your employer advised you to show up in a thong bikini would you do it?
 

Everything's Legal in the USofA...Just don't get c
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What's she gonna do when 40 years from now when all of England's under Sharia Law?
 

Honey Badger Don't Give A Shit
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Not always. If your employer advised you to show up in a thong bikini would you do it?

I bet his answer is probably "No", in which case he might lose his job.

Thus his earlier rhetorical observation that people who don't follow the direction of their employer often lose said employment. Hardly news worthy given that literally thousands of people a month likely lose their jobs for just that reason.
 

Honey Badger Don't Give A Shit
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What's she gonna do when 40 years from now when all of England's under Sharia Law?

I would imagine that if that imaginary scenario were to come to pass, she would at some time during that 40 years choose to freely relocate to a location that is more to her liking.
 

"Here we go again"
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Not always. If your employer advised you to show up in a thong bikini would you do it?




That's a strawman. If your employer is trying to humilate you, or sexually harass you I understand your argument. However, it's strictly about business and respecting other cultures. A lawsuit would be absurd, as is a story IMO. If she doesn't want to do it, find another job!
 

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Perhaps walking behind men is humilating unless your from a wonderful peace loving islamic country
 

Honey Badger Don't Give A Shit
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I'm self employed and often do shit I dont want to.

But you make the ultimate call as to whether you do it, rather than some other person telling you to do so at penalty of losing your operation.
 
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She should respect the Country's beliefs & customs while in that Country.... If she got fired she fired herself.
 

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agree with roadreeler. your in there country, you follow there customs. if you dont want to do that, get another job simple as that. she wudnt making shit there anyways
 

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agree with roadreeler. your in there country, you follow there customs. if you dont want to do that, get another job simple as that. she wudnt making shit there anyways

Seriously, how can your grammar be this bad? Dont give me the "Im not worried about grammar or spelling" jib either. These things (spelling and grammar) are kind of like riding a bike, you just dont forget.
 

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