The News & Observer: Joann Fabrics fires employee who told Idaho mom and son ‘boys can’t wear dresses’ Read more at: ht

Clippings from news sources involving fashion freedom and other gender equality issues.
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Coder
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The News & Observer: Joann Fabrics fires employee who told Idaho mom and son ‘boys can’t wear dresses’ Read more at: ht

Post by Coder »

https://www.newsobserver.com/news/natio ... 37816.html

I realize this is about dresses - not skirts - but I have no doubt this employee would have acted the same way had it been a SpiderMan skirt.

Actually - the employee's comments reminded me of the Trix rabbit - "Silly Rabbit, Trix Are for Kids". I always felt bad for the rabbit. Maybe I was internalizing my plight regarding skirts in some way, and the rabbit was an outlet.
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Re: The News & Observer: Joann Fabrics fires employee who told Idaho mom and son ‘boys can’t wear dresses’ Read more at

Post by STEVIE »

Not that I enjoy reading about anyone being fired but this person brought it on herself.
As a purveyor of this sort, she had no right to express an opinion in this manner. Perhaps if the nature of the fabric made it unsuitable for a dress but not the "final" use.
Had she had the sense, she'd have cut the cloth, taken Mum's money and sent them happily away. The fulminations should have been reserved and shared among other like-minded cretins.
But no, she just felt she had to spout the crap and paid the cost.
The most worrying part is that there are still a lot of folks out there who'd heartily agree.
All I hope is that the little guy gets to enjoy his new dress and the Wicked Witch learns the error of her ways.
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Re: The News & Observer: Joann Fabrics fires employee who told Idaho mom and son ‘boys can’t wear dresses’ Read more at

Post by rivegauche »

This story reminds me of the Harry Chapin song "Flowers are red" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flowers_Are_Red

When I was young I wanted to buy a top that came in bright red or navy. The top was unisex. The woman serving flatly refused to sell a red top to a boy as these were just for girls. There are some frighteningly closed minds out there and a problem arises when they try to close down other people's minds.

And I think the spider man dress is wonderful. I hope he loves it.
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Re: The News & Observer: Joann Fabrics fires employee who told Idaho mom and son ‘boys can’t wear dresses’ Read more at

Post by TSH »

You beat me to the punch, @Coder. I first caught wind of this story a night or two prior to when this thread was posted. I initially thought the insensitive (and wholly sexist) comment didn't warrant the employee getting fired, but further reading the article entails that this particular employee has a history of making similarly bigoted anti-LGBT rhetoric, and was actively harassing the woman and her child, so I can understand why Joann Fabrics would stop having a vile person with such an abhorrent attitude represent the company. People just CAN'T leave others alone, can they?

Spider-Man was my favorite superhero growing up, so telling a child they "can't" wear something that represents an iconic character on the basis of their sex is just... wow. Unbelievable.
Last edited by TSH on Sun Oct 09, 2022 1:25 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: The News & Observer: Joann Fabrics fires employee who told Idaho mom and son ‘boys can’t wear dresses’ Read more at

Post by Coder »

TSH wrote: Sat Oct 08, 2022 11:06 pm You beat me to the punch, @Coder. I first caught wind of this story a night or two prior to when this thread was posted. I initially thought the insensitive (and wholly sexist) comment didn't warrant the employee getting fired, but further reading the article entails that this particular employee has a history in making similarly bigoted anti-LGBT rhetoric, and was actively harassing the woman and her child, so I can understand why Joann Fabrics would stop having a vile person with such a abhorrent attitude represent the company. People just CAN'T leave others alone, can they?

Spider-Man was my favorite superhero growing up, so telling a child they "can't" wear something that represents an iconic character on the basis of their sex is just... wow. Unbelievable.
Generally I am against reactionary firings - especially in a “she said he said” scenario where we can only go on what each side tells us. However, there being history between these two, them both being adults - and one of them clearly not acting like one. It’s one thing to have disagreements between adults - it’s another for an adult to question and actively stick their noses into how another parent raises their child that bugs me.
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Re: The News & Observer: Joann Fabrics fires employee who told Idaho mom and son ‘boys can’t wear dresses’ Read more at

Post by moonshadow »

this employee had a history of “saying really inappropriate things to customers and to employees ... religious matters,” she said.
...
And she looks at me and she goes, ‘He can’t wear a dress.’ And then she looks at him and says ‘dresses are for girls
Jesus enters the chat....
Jesus-3-jesus-16193088-514-599.jpg
:D
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Re: The News & Observer: Joann Fabrics fires employee who told Idaho mom and son ‘boys can’t wear dresses’ Read more at

Post by ScotL »

moonshadow wrote: Sun Oct 09, 2022 2:07 am
this employee had a history of “saying really inappropriate things to customers and to employees ... religious matters,” she said.
...
And she looks at me and she goes, ‘He can’t wear a dress.’ And then she looks at him and says ‘dresses are for girls
Jesus enters the chat....

Jesus-3-jesus-16193088-514-599.jpg

:D
Almost looks like a dress?? Hahahaha. If asked “What Would Jesus Do”? He’d wear a dress
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