Abercrombie and Fitch’s ‘look’ policy: Would they hire vets with lost limbs?

By Mary MacElveen
June 29, 2009

I never knew that Abercrombie & Fitch had a ‘look’ policy in reference to where they placed those employed within their stores. Such shallowness if you ask me. I have only been in their store once and swore never to go back. First, the prices and second the music blasted at one particular store was a bit too much for this boomer to take and it also aggravated my tinnitus.

After reading a column where, Riam Dean, 22 was demoted from a sales position to a stock position in their London flagship store, I was deeply appalled. The reason being is because she has a prosthetic arm. I would call that the third and more important strike as to why I will never cross their thresh-hold again.

The article states: “Dean, 22, was allegedly moved from a sales job to a stockroom post -- away from the eyes of shoppers -- after her managers discovered she had a prosthetic arm.”

If anything, whenever I see a disabled person working in any store, I give that store credit for believing in their desire to work. Some may work in performing mundane jobs, but they are working none-the-less. At my local Waldbaums who does not have a ‘look’ policy, a mentally disabled man works at collecting the shopping carts left in the parking field by customers. He puts himself out there to his credit and I credit Waldbaums for hiring him where he is in the public-eye.

My guess is that this over-the-top price-point store would not dare hire those returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan who have lost limbs and now wear prosthetic limbs. I mean, after all, they would violate this store’s ‘look’ policy.

This store can be found in many malls which are considered ‘soft-targets’ when it comes to terrorist attacks. Presently our soldiers are trying to fight a battle so that a store like this is never attacked. So, if a soldier comes home wounded, needs a job: Will he or she be told, “Sorry, you cannot work in sales” If that were the case, the patriotic thing to do is not shop at this high-priced store.

Getting back to the blaring music played within that store, the article also states: “A former A&F employee once told me that the reason the stores keep the music so loud is that the company wants customers to feel slightly intimidated approaching the floor attendants,” As a shopper, I do not wish to feel intimidated when it comes to parting with my money. I want a relaxed atmosphere given these harsh economic times. Besides when one is faced with increased taxes on every front coming from the government, that is intimidation enough.

Dean’s case is not the only case of discrimination as one reads this U.S.A. Today article: Where A&F was forced to pay a $40 million dollar class action suit by minorities in a 2004 case who felt they were passed over. Included in that group were blacks. Would they even attempt doing so today knowing our President is African-American? It astounds me that a future president would in our recent history be passed over because he did not have the right look.

While we have heard for years of racial discrimination in the work place, it sickens me when a store would discriminate against the disabled. In both cases, all you have are people ready, willing and in Dean’s case able to do the job they were hired to do. There is great dignity in work and for any company to discriminate such as A&F has, a dignified public should send them a message we will not tolerate such behavior.

Author’s email address is, xmjmac@optonline.net

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