May 1, 2012
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A New York City barber was accused of violating the city’s discrimination policy because he charged women three dollars more for a hair cut than men.
“I’m here for 21 years and I’ve never heard of such a thing,” said Leon Kogut, the owner of Leon’s Fantasy Cut in Brooklyn. “The guy tells me this is discrimination of a woman.”
Kogut, who is originally from the former Soviet Union, told Fox News he ran afoul of the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs. An inspector slapped the barber with three violations totaling $650 in fines.
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“I feel upset,” he said. “We are struggling to survive. It’s a lot – a lot of money.”
Kogut said the inspector took issue with the fact that he charged $13 for a man’s haircut and $16 for a woman’s.
“A woman’s haircut requires a lot of skill,” Kogut said. “You have to style the hair, blow dry, use the mousse, the hairspray. It could take hours to get her hair cut.”
On the other hand, he said, it only takes a few minutes to cut a guy’s hair.
“It’s a different kind of hair cut,” he said.
Kogut tried to reason with the city inspector.
“If you go to a restaurant and order a hamburger, you don’t expect to get the steak for that money,” he said. “Are you discriminating against the cow? Same cow, same meat – but different part of the meat. Of course there’s going to be a different price.”
The inspector was not swayed and told Kogut that to be in compliance of the law – he could only charge different prices for “long hair” and “short hair.”
“I said, ‘Okay, I’ll do it. It’s my mistake,’” he said. “But I never know this – nobody ever told me this.”
But that wasn’t the end of Kogut’s problems. It turns out the city also took issue with his nearly 100-year-old cash register.
Why didn’t the cash register print receipts, the inspector demanded to know.
“I told him, ‘the cash register is three times older than you, sir,’” Kogut said. “The cash register is 93 years old.”
That resulted in another fine for the 64-year-old barber.
“Nobody ever asks for receipts in a barber shop,” he said. “I’m here 21 years in this shop and nobody asks for receipt.”
The Dept. of Consumer Affairs told the New York Daily News that city law stipulates all businesses must include price information on its receipts.
But Public Advocate Bill de Blasio told the newspaper this is more about petty fines.
“We cannot hold small businesses hostage to the city’s budget,” he told the Daily News. “It’s time to stop treating small businesses like an ATM and take an honest look at what the fines are really costing the city.”
Kogut told Fox News he works 12 hours a day, six days a week and it’s all he can do to pay the bills.
“The hit us like that – for what? We don’t deserve this. We are good citizens here.”
He said that New York City is beginning to remind him of the Old Country.
“I ran away from Communism,” he said. “The system in New York City reminds me of Communism. The government can do anything to you.”
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If you have to do more work, you should be able to charge more. It usually takes more to cut women's hair and style it. Guys there's usually not a lot to cut. I bet if a guy with shoulder length or longer hair came in, he'd charge the woman's fee. Or don't go to a barber shop. It's not rocket science.
"“I ran away from Communism,” he said. “The system in New York City reminds me of Communism. The government can do anything to you."
This bothers me the most. This guy came here to get away from price fixing and government control. He's probably one of the millions of immigrants that work hard and appreciate what they have, unlike the millions of idiots here that can't imagine working the way this guy does.
Where does the rest of the world go when they can't get away from totalitarianism, even in the US?
Move along, citizen. Nothing to see here.
What bothers me about this is the sexist hypocrisy, since New York allows night clubs to charge men more than women. Why is it ok when the men have to pay more, but not ok when the women have to pay more? That's just bullshit. Either allow both or forbid both.
Coincidentally I had mine done today. Five minutes. In and out in just over ten. Fifteen dollars(AUS). Happy to pay it. My going rate is potentially similar. Bloody cold in the immediate aftermath however.
I have no doubt that women are consistently paying more. I also have no doubt that satisfying the expectations of a female clientele can ever be provided in a cost effective manner at fifteen dollars per head.
Simple answer is, any woman who wants a haircut for the price he charges men, gets a haircut in a style and manner he gives to men. If they want a more feminine haircut, they can ether go to a stylist or pay his stylist fee, which costs more than a man's cut.
Thank you!
My husband and I went to the same stylist but I stopped going because I was charged twice the amount. It took my stylist only 30 minutes to cut my hair…. and an hour to cut my husband's very curly 'fro. I have very straightforward straight hair and it's so easy to cut. I just go to Great Clips most of the time. It should be based on length of visit, NOT gender.
Every place I've ever seen has always charged more for women then men. It takes longer for a womens cut than a mans. Me I get mine cut and donate it to LOCKS OF LOVE. And the hair cut is free. I do this every 3 years. Just make sure before you do go to get it cut for LOCKS OF LOVE they do it for FREE.
This happened in Melbourne Australia 1999, I was the hair stylist the feminist targeted, it resulted in discrimination against the person they accused (me) as the result of the ruling only applied to me. It turned out to be a storm in a teacup a month after it died down and a small wording change on the price list, we went back to the same pricing. 13 years later ladies haircuts are approximately $110 and Gents $70.
edward beale Melbourne Australia.