A restaurant in Birmingham allegedly “rudely mistreated” Aireal Bonner, and she was ejected from the place due to the fact that she was dressed inappropriately. She expressed her scepticism on the possibility that her attire was the actual reason she was expelled from the establishment.
After she refused to cover her crocheted top with a shirt, which the restaurant insisted was a ‘bikini top’ that violated its dress code, she was told to leave Southern Kitchen & Bar in Uptown on the grounds that she was in violation of the establishment’s dress code.
According to the management, the restaurant’s dress code does not need to be posted because the restaurant is a private business, as said in a video that Bonner posted on Facebook. Bonner questioned the manager where the notice regarding the dress code was located.
She was presented with a t-shirt by a different manager, but she declined to wear it on during the interview. The management then threatened to contact the police if she did not leave the premises, and she was then ordered to leave the premises.
“I was threatened with police action simply because I wanted to sit and eat in an outfit that that I felt comfortable and happy in,” Bonner stated in a post that she made on Facebook. In this particular instance, there was no client complaint that led to the scenario. The ‘owner’ of the company made this decision specifically for the purpose of running his company.
After some time had passed, Bonner asserted that she had doubts about the fact that her attire was the reason she was expelled.
In an interview with CBS 42, she stated, “My decision to dine there was based on my clothing.” In terms of my looks, I believe that the most significant problem is that I have a very Afro-centric appearance. An Afro texture can be found in my hair. The manner that I dress is influenced by African culture. Consequently, I am of the opinion that my attire was merely used as an excuse since they are unable to directly express things such as “We do not like the colour of your skin or the way that your hair looks.”
Bonner’s shirt was deemed to be “not consistent with our appropriate attire policy,” according to a statement from Southern Kitchen and Bar that was published on its Facebook page.
The restaurant, on the other hand, issued an apology because the “attempt to follow company policy was ill-timed.” This is due to the fact that the personnel did not confront her when she initially entered the facility; rather, they waited until she started sitting down before doing so.
Additionally, the statement stated that it was “establishing more rigid protocols” in the enforcement of its policy, which included addressing any difficulties that may have arisen at the door. “We regret interrupting Ms. Bonner’s dinner and understand that would make anyone feel uncomfortable,” the statement added.
The restaurant made the following statement: “We have done the work to ensure that our restaurant is a place where all feel welcome, and we will continue to do the work of doing so.”
As a result of Bonner’s refusal to accept the apology, the Yelp page for the establishment was removed. Bonner also requested that customers fill the page with bad reviews.
When I was confronted about a clothing code that did not exist, the statement that appears to be an apology for the TIMING on is, as I have stated in the past…”LAUGHABLE,” Bonner added in his writing.
The Alabama Rally Against Injustice organisation has planned a sit-in protest at the restaurant on Saturday. They did so because they said that the restaurant’s social media page had photographs of other ladies wearing apparel that was comparable to the one they were wearing.
Although private companies have the freedom to operate their facility in any manner they deem appropriate, discrimination on the part of these companies will not be accepted, as stated in the group’s written statement.