A preliminary injunction hearing has been set for June 21 in the case of Rose Trevis v. Hawleywood’s Barbershop and Shaving Parlor, in which the plaintiff, a transgender man, alleges the self-described “old school barbershop” in Long Beach, Calif. discriminated against him on the basis of what the shop’s operators perceived as his gender.
The trouble at the shop began on a Friday in early March when Rose and his partner Laura Lozano walked into Hawleywood’s to see about a haircut.
“The barber then stared at Rose as if he was examining Rose’s appearance and stated ‘We don’t cut women’s hair,’” said Trevis’ attorney, Gloria Allred during a press conference in Los Angeles.
“Rose is a transgender male with a masculine gender expression,” Allred told reporters gathered at her offices on Wilshire Boulevard for the press conference. “Rose was surprised by the barber’s response and replied ‘Who says I am a woman?’ The barber replied, ‘Like I said, we don’t cut women’s hair.'”
Trevis’ motion for an injunction seeks an order from a Los Angeles Superior Court Judge to stop Hawleywood’s Barbershops from discriminating against customers and potential customers on the basis of gender, perceived gender or gender expression. California law prohibits all such discrimination in the conducting of commercial business, employment practices, housing and other areas of public life.
Hawleywood’s Barbershops, an international, four-store chain based in Southern California with locations in Costa Mesa, Huntington Beach, Long Beach and Sydney, Australia, is surprisingly overt about its no-women-allowed policy. The following marketing copy continues to appear at the company’s Web site as of this writing:
“Upon entering this men’s sanctuary you’ll see customers relaxing in vintage waiting chairs all the while cruisin’ through another great issue of The Horse BackStreet Choppers and listening to some great music on the Hi-Fi. One thing you won’t see at Hawleywood’s is women. You all know how distracting a woman can be and who wants a straight razor shave with a buxom blonde in the joint?
So leave yer’ 0L’ lady at home* because you might need to talk about her. And besides, no one ever looks cool in the middle of a haircut. Donnie has been mastering this vanishing trade for more than ten years, but has been cutting hair for friends and relatives forever. Open just over four years ago, Hawleywood’s attracts people from all walks of life from tattooed greasers to businessmen and everyone in between. No quick haircuts here brother, each cut lasts at least 45 minutes and you get all the bells and whistles…”
LGBT Weekly attempted reach Donnie Anthony Hawley, the shop’s founder and namesake, for comment about the case, but was unable to reach him. Last year Hawley made headlines when he drove his Cadillac into a pole in Costa Mesa, causing several hundred Southern California Edison customers to lose power. As reported at the time by the Orange County Register, the famous barber had just had surgery and was taking pain medication and the sleep drug, Ambien. Hawley denied that his ability to drive safely was impacted by the pills, saying that he had swerved to avoid hitting a very large opossum.
““Anyone will tell you that I would never get messed up and drive. I’ll even pay $200 for a cab, I don’t care,” he told the newspaper. “You can’t put a price on freedom.”
Trevis released a written statement about the alleged discrimination at Hawleywood’s in Long Beach. His statement reads:
On March 4, 2016, my partner and I entered Hawleywood’s Barber Shop in Long Beach, CA. After I entered, I was greeted and denied services due to my gender and on account of what the barbers perceived to be my gender. I was continuously reminded that this particular business refuses to service women.
I felt humiliated, discriminated against and frowned upon. I was dumbfounded and appalled that this type of behavior continues to exist and hope that we can bring an end to this absurd type of discrimination.
