How do I address my employee discount to my manager compared to my gay and lesbian co-workers?

Question

When I was trying to purchase a male top one of my manager's told me that I couldn't buy it because "it wasn't for me" (i'm female). I said "ok", but then it hit me that a lesbian co-worker gets to buy boy clothes because she dresses like a boy. And we also have a male co-worker who wears girl t-shirts.

I am not clear if they get discounts on their clothes, but I don't doubt that they do. If they can only buy one gender set of clothes, I will be fine. But if they get to buy both, or flip flop time to time, I will be upset.

But besides, does my manager have the right to address what I buy with my employee discount?

I imagine that if I was a lesbian there would be a lawsuit funded the by the ACLU already against my company, because then I'd have to discuss sexual orientation or gender identity which one shouldn't have to at a job.

How do I address this problem with my manager/company?

And what if they get to buy both and I can't? Isn't that discrimination??

Answer 1

Ask to see a copy of your employment contract. There should be something in the contract that specifies what items may be purchased with the employee discount. My gut feeling is that there shouldn't be a rule about what you can/can't buy, but if there is, it ought to be in the contract. (What if you're buying a gift for your brother's birthday...would you not be allowed to use it for that? It just seems silly to have those rules.)

Answer 2

The reason your manager doesn't let you buy boy's clothes is that they are not for you. Your homosexual co-workers are buying opposite-gender clothes for themselves, not for other people of opposite gender. Another question is, how does your manager know even girl clothes you buy are for you and not a female friend the same size as you?

The issue is not whether you may buy both boy and girl clothes, but whether you can buy clothes for other people. Your homosexual co-workers wear both boy and girl clothes, so it's not really discrimination. If you want to wear boy clothes, you will probably be allowed to buy them for yourself.

So you should find the answer to your second question: Are company discounts only for items you buy for yourself? If this is decided by company policy, ask what the policy is. If it's decided by legislation, find out what that says.

The ACLU was formed to agitate on behalf of "minorities", so of course they would not represent you on the same principle that they would represent a "minority" on. You are right that this isn't fair. It's not meant to be. It's about giving minorities extra rights as "compensation" and "protection" because they are "opressed" by the capitalist "system". This "human rights" philosophy is nothing to do with genuine human rights. It's aim is political - it serves a socialist agenda. Unless you are a socialist, don't bother with it.