Barber shop fined for not cutting woman’s hair
The exterior of Barbiere, which advertises itself as a gentleman’s barbershop.
Barber John Interval cuts a client’s hair at his barbershop, Barbiere. Looking on is barber Kerri Wonsettler.
A Washington barber shop was fined recently for refusing to give a woman a haircut.
On its website, Barbiere is described as “a high end Gentleman’s Barber Shop” located on Jefferson Avenue.
On March 11, a woman, Diamond Pecjak of Crucible, walked into the shop after booking an appointment online for her and her boyfriend.
Kerri Wonsettler, a barber at Barbiere, said she explained to Pecjak the shop specializes exclusively in men’s haircuts.
“I’m a barber, that is what I specialize in,” said Wonsettler. “That’s why I work here. I don’t cut women’s hair.”
Pecjak filed a complaint with the state Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs, and the state’s Bureau of Enforcement and Investigation researched the complaint.
The board fined the shop $750 for gender discrimination.
Owner John Interval said he will not formally contest the fine, but he disagrees with the penalty.
“It’s infringing on our environment. Guys come here as a kind of a little getaway, to be around other guys,” said Interval, while clipping a customer’s beard as Frank Sinatra tunes played on the stereo. “My hands are tied. They are forcing me to do this and telling me how to do my business.”
He said the shop recommended salons and even offered to pay for Pecjak’s haircut elsewhere to compensate for the inconvenience.
Regulars say the barber shop, which opened two years ago, offers excellent haircuts and grooming, good conversation and a variety of complimentary spirits and beer on tap. It is, they say, a great place for a chop and a chat.
Nearly 100 supporters of Barbiere signed a petition in opposition of the board’s ruling.
“I think it’s ridiculous. You can clearly see no women come here to get their hair cut,” said Jeff Andrewson of Pittsburgh, a U.S. Navy recruiter. “There are hundreds of places where I can get my hair cut, and I can easily find somewhere in Pittsburgh, but I come here because I like the atmosphere and I get an outstanding haircut.”
Pecjak, a cosmetologist, wanted a fade, a trendy men’s haircut. She declined to comment on her complaint, upon her attorney’s advice.
There are other businesses, such as Sport Clips and Curves, that cater toward a specific gender.
An employee of Curves in Bridgeville, who did not wish to be named, said the exercise and weight loss center is designed for women, but men have occasionally joined.
“We don’t discriminate against men here, we don’t stop them from joining. We tell them there’s only women here and most of them don’t join,” she said. “I’m not sure why they might want to join here, but we wouldn’t stop them.”
The Pennsylvania Human Rights Commission, which enforces Pennsylvania’s anti-discrimination laws and promotes equal opportunity, did not return a phone call Friday and was closed Monday.