An individual named Aireal Bonner claimed that she was “rudely mistreated” by a restaurant in Birmingham, and that she was expelled from the institution due to the fact that she was dressed inappropriately. According to her statement, she was sceptical that the reason she was kicked out was due to the apparel she was wearing.
After she refused to cover her crocheted top with a shirt, which the restaurant insisted was a ‘bikini top’ that violated its dress code, she was told to leave Southern Kitchen & Bar in Uptown. The restaurant argued that the top was a violation of its dress code.
In a video that Bonner shared on Facebook, the manager responded to her inquiry about the location of the dress code sign by stating that the restaurant’s dress code does not need to be posted because the restaurant is a private business.
Another manager offered her a t-shirt, but she declined to put it on. She was not interested in wearing it. This was followed by a request for her to leave, during which the manager threatened to contact the authorities if she did not leave the premises.
“I was threatened with police action simply because I wanted to sit and eat in an outfit that I felt comfortable and happy in,” Bonner stated in a post that she made on Facebook. The issue in question was not brought about by a complaint from a client. This was the sole decision that the ‘owner’ made regarding how he wanted to run his company.
In a later statement, Bonner stated that she was uncertain whether or not her attire was the reason she was expelled.
“My clothing was an excuse to not have me dine there,” she said in an interview with CBS 42 news. I believe that the most significant problem with my appearance is that I have a highly Afro-centric appearance. In terms of texture, my hair is Afro. In terms of my attire, I have an Afro-centric style. Because of this, I believe that my attire was only used as an excuse because they are unable to directly say things like, “We don’t like the colour of your skin, we don’t like the way that your hair looks.”
Bonner’s shirt was deemed to be “not consistent with our appropriate attire policy,” according to a statement that was published on the Facebook page of Southern Kitchen and Bar.
However, the restaurant issued an apology since the “attempt to follow company policy was ill-timed.” This is due to the fact that the staff did not confront her when she initially entered the place; rather, they waited until she sat down before having a conversation with her.
The response said, “We regret interrupting Ms. Bonner’s dinner and understand that would make anyone feel uncomfortable.” It also added that the company was “establishing more rigid protocols” in the enforcement of its policy, which included addressing any difficulties that may have arisen at the door.
According to the statement made by the restaurant, “We have done the work to ensure that our restaurant is a place where all feel welcome, and we will continue to do the work.”
Bonner did not accept the apology and instead requested that individuals flood the company with negative reviews, which ultimately resulted in the Yelp page for the eatery being removed.
According to what I have stated in the past, the comment that appears to be an apology for the TIMING on when I was challenged about a dress code that does not exist is…”LAUGHABLE,” Bonner stated in his letter.
The organisation Alabama Rally Against Injustice has planned a sit-in protest at the restaurant on Saturday. They are holding the protest because they believe that the restaurant’s social media website contains photographs of other women wearing apparel that is similar to what they are wearing.
The group said that private businesses have the freedom to manage their facility in whichever manner they deem appropriate, but that discrimination on the part of these businesses would not be permitted.
