Germany: Hairdresser advertises a ‘headscarf discount’ – but it has nothing to do with religion or anything like that

In Hanover, there is currently a ‘headscarf discount’ offered by a Muslim hairdresser: women who wear headscarves pay 40 per cent less on Wednesdays. Women without headscarves receive no discount and pay the full price. And now everyone: there is no Islamisation!

One customer – obviously not a Muslim woman wearing a headscarf – quite rightly felt discriminated against and contacted the anti-discrimination office. But instead of intervening immediately, there is discussion about whether the whole thing might be ‘okay’ after all, because it is an ‘offer for a specific customer group’.

The hairdresser – Celal Kilic – a devout Muslim, justifies the discrimination against women who do not wear the battle flag of political Islam on their heads by saying that he has set up a floor where Muslim women can remove their headscarves undisturbed and are only hairdressed by women. The increasingly unbearable Islamic lament: ‘There are few protected services for women who wear headscarves.’ And his employee confirms: ‘Many customers who wear headscarves tell us that they have been cutting or dyeing their own hair for the last few years.’ But this has nothing to do with discrimination or a particular religion, according to the Muslim hairdresser.

Let’s imagine the reverse situation: a discount only for women who do not wear headscarves. Or a special price only for Christians. The outcry would be immense, the media would scream ‘Nazi’, politicians would hold special broadcasts.

Is this discrimination, asks the newspaper HAZ hypocritically behind its paywall. Yes, say experts, sounding the alarm: Bonn-based labour lawyer Gregor Thüsing sees the ‘headscarf discount’ as clear indirect discrimination because the headscarf is a religious symbol and other women are disadvantaged by it. Oldenburg legal scholar Volker Boehme-Neßler is even clearer: for him, it is simply blatant discrimination.

Consequences? None. Only the Muslim headscarf hairdresser is ‘shocked’ by the criticism of his offer – and brazenly emphasises that he wants ‘to bring people together, not drive them apart.’

journalistenwatch