Restaurant slammed over 'racist' dress code
A restaurant has apologised after backlash over a “racist” dress code.
Red Stick Social, based in the US state of Louisiana, posted its dress code to Facebook on Tuesday.
The dress code suggests “collared shirts” for “gentlemen”, and no hats, jewellery or clothing with offensive imagery or language is permitted, along with revealing clothes.
It also restricts people from entering the bar wearing “sagging” pants, torn or soiled clothing and anything affiliated with gangs.
The post has since been deleted after the bar’s dress code received criticism for being an example of “racial profiling”.
Red Stick Social later apologised for the strict dress code.
“Our guests’ experience is something we take very seriously,” it wrote.
“We created Red Stick Social to serve the entire Baton Rouge community and are excited with the incredibly diverse group of guests that have enjoyed and continue to enjoy our venue.
“Our goal is to provide an environment that welcomes, encourages, and supports diversity and inclusiveness among all our guests and staff.”
But not everyone is pleased with the apology with some calling the dress code “blatantly racist” and suggesting the apology was only issued after widespread criticism.
“I feel like you can’t post something that was clearly racist/classist and then only say you’re sorry when you get negative feedback,” one man wrote.
“It doesn’t change the fact that you’re probably just a racist/classist person.”
However, some people leapt to the defence of the bar’s proposed dress code.
“The dress code should be enforced,” one woman wrote.
“It upholds customers to look nice and carry themselves nicely in such (a) establishment. Some clubs have the same exact dress code and that is followed or entry isn’t allowed. What’s the difference?”
Another woman added she saw “nothing wrong” with the rules.
“I for one am very observant when out in public with my grandchildren,” she wrote.
“I want to see the faces of the people around them and me and I don’t want to see, nor do I want my grandchildren to see, someone walking around with their pants at their knees, whether they are white, black, yellow or green.”
Yahoo Lifestyle US contacted Red Stick Social for comment.
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