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Unemployed Man ‘Shamed’ For Gay T-Shirt, Speaks Up For His Right To Dress Sloppy To Job Center
We’re all for personal expression through clothing. You want to wear a neon green miniskirt with a faux fur crop top out to dinner? Live your life!
But there’s a general rule of thumb that if you’re going to a job interview, the idea is to look half-way presentable.
Which is why we’re a bit baffled by this story from Burnley, a town in Lancashire, England. The unemployed man you see to the right, Shaun Clark, 28, is claiming discrimination after wearing a t-shirt with the slogan “Nobody knows I’m gay” to a local job center.
Normally we stick up for someone enduring harassment, but this just seems a bit much. If the goal is to go on interviews and land a job, the shirt choice seems counterproductive. It could just as easily say “My wife is hot,” and chances are the job center would still find a problem.
According to Clark, there’s a bigger issue:
“I am proud to be gay and I don’t think there is anything wrong with the T-shirt. I have always worn a shirt and tie to an interview but I feel there is nothing wrong in wearing the T-shirt to the Jobcentre. It is discrimination.”
Here’s the center’s take:
“Our Jobcentre Plus advisers up and down the country work hard every day supporting people into jobs and treating everyone fairly. Staff in our Burnley branch encourage all job-seekers to dress in smart interview attire, as employers regularly attend and recruit directly from the Jobcentre.”
Sorry Clark, gotta side with the center on this one. We’re sure your shirt kills at happy hour, but it isn’t going to land you a job anytime soon.
Though seeing as it’s also been reported that he’s been on Job Seekers Allowance for the past four years, maybe that’s the idea.
Dan Tracer
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