Sexual Harassment and Salon Benders
Hey there, lovely readers!
It's Jessie Santiago, your friendly neighborhood salon enthusiast and proud owner of Salon Benders. Today, I want to delve into a topic close to my heart: the delicate balance between sex positivity and preventing sexual harassment in the workplace. At Salon Benders, we believe in creating a warm, welcoming environment for our clients and an incredible team. So, let's explore why embracing this fine line is essential and how it impacts everyone involved.
1. A Safe Space for Clients:
Picture this: You walk into Salon Benders, greeted by our team's smiles and a cup of aromatic coffee or tea. From the very moment you step through our doors, we want you to feel comfortable, safe, and respected. By fostering an atmosphere of sex positivity and authenticity, we celebrate individuality and encourage self-expression. Whether seeking a bold new style or want to maintain your current look, our stylists ensure you're heard, valued, and never objectified or minimized. We have found a unique balance of warmth and professionalism while we practice safe emotional, spiritual, and physical boundaries.
2. Empowering Our Employees:
Sexual harassment is often discussed when there is a CLEAR motive or major event. It affects personal and professional lives everywhere, but I think in the LGBTQ community, it's less discussed when it happens in so-called "safe spaces." At Salon Benders, we prioritize the well-being and empowerment of our talented team. We give them full autonomy to make creative, professional, and personal decisions while giving them a road map to help guide them. With a clinically licensed mental health professional, we provide comprehensive training on respectful communication, consent, and boundaries. By setting clear expectations and fostering an open dialogue, we create an environment where our employees can thrive without fear of harassment. While we train as staff on caring for ourselves and each other, we have no control over how our clients treat us. In a perfect world, the hair industry and its workers would be seen as friendly professionals who help make you feel confident and beautiful, but professionals nonetheless. We know humans are just humans, and messages can easily be mixed up, especially during intimate times. Yes, a haircut can be intimate, especially with a gender-affirming focus. This is why my next point is so important.
3. Communicating Openly:
Effective communication is the cornerstone of any successful salon. We identify as a "brave " space, encouraging open dialogue, compassionate curiosity, and consent with our clients and employees. Our team is trained to communicate respectfully, actively listening to your desires while offering professional advice. This transparency ensures EVERYONE'S needs are met, creating a harmonious environment where creativity flourishes. By encouraging such conversations, we enhance the salon experience and provide an opportunity to promptly address any concerns. We trust humans to be able to advocate for themselves if a discussion becomes triggering. Still, sometimes our community is overtly sexual- which shouldn't be considered shameful; it just needs to be responsibly expressed. No matter how "queer" a business space is, it's still just that. The employees and customers always deserve respect. Before you schedule with your hairdresser, bartender, tattooer, or ANYONE, ask yourself if you're sexualizing this person. If you find you are, please proceed with caution and respect. That could be an indicator you have some work to do around boundaries. We all do! Join the club.
4. Leading by Example:
As the owner of Salon Benders, it's my responsibility to lead by example. In full transparency, over a year of doing someone's hair, I became friends with them. Over the second year, we changed that friendship into a romantic relationship. We openly discussed it with each other as two consenting humans. There was no sneaking around or secrets. I am not saying hairstylist-customer connections never happen; that would be ridiculous! Of course, they do! However, it must be done with extreme care, clarity, and transparent communication with your employer and co-workers. And, if it becomes a pattern, it could be something to look at as a growth spot. We can't always help who we fall for, but we can ensure our impact and behaviors are done carefully. We set the tone for our team and clients by fostering a culture of respect and openness. I strive to create an environment where people feel comfortable, valued, and heard. Respect for boundaries and individual autonomy is the cornerstone of our salon's philosophy, a principle I hold dear. Demonstrating this commitment, I hope to inspire other salon owners to follow suit and embrace this crucial balance.
So there you have it, folks! At Salon Benders, we understand the delicate line between sex positivity and sexual harassment in the workplace and in the world. It's about celebrating individuality, embracing creativity, and fostering an inclusive space. Together, we can reshape the narrative and create an industry that thrives on warmth, humanity, and genuine care.
We believe that embracing sex positivity alongside maintaining a zero-tolerance approach to sexual harassment is necessary and the foundation for creating an inclusive and empowering environment. Doing so ensures that our staff and clients can fully embrace their individuality, express themselves authentically, and feel safe and free from harassment as they embark on their hair journey with us.
Remember, each one of us has the power to make a positive difference, starting right here in our salon chairs. Let's continue to be the change we want to see in the world.
Yours truly,
Jessie Santiago and the Salon Benders Team
