Transgender teen claims he was refused haircut at barber’s shop because staff insisted he was a girl
Sam, 16, who was born female, but lives as a boy, says he was left 'humiliated and embarrassed' by experience at Manchester salon
A transgender teenager claims he was refused a haircut in a barber’s shop because staff insisted he was a girl.
Sam Vella, 16, says his request to have the sides of his head shaved was turned down because workers “weren’t sure” of his gender.
Sam went with his mum, Joanna Smith, to Village Barbers in Clayton, Gtr Manchester to get a trim on Saturday afternoon.
But when they went in they say they were told that the barbers “didn’t cut girls’ hair”.
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Sam, who was born female but lives as a boy and is currently having gender treatment, said: “They just kept telling me that because I wore nail polish I was a girl and then they didn’t know what I was. I felt humiliated and really embarrassed.”
Mum Joanna added: : “His hair is really short and he wanted the sides shaving, so it was a boy’s haircut.
“But we were told they don’t cut girls’ hair. I initially thought they thought they meant me, but then realised they meant Sam.
“He kept saying we don’t cut girls’ hair. We explained Sam is a boy but they said they weren’t sure ‘what Sam was’.
“They then shouted at him to leave and slammed the door in our face.”
Joanna, 42, added: “What does it matter if he wears nail polish, so many other men do. And the fact is he wanted a male haircut. He wasn’t asking for plaits.
"Sam is a human being and should be treated like one. It’s 2016 and people need to remember that.”
Sam, who is hoping to head to sixth form college after getting his GCSE results this week, says he is now worried about having his hair cut in case he is confronted by a similar incident.
The Village Barbers have been approached for a comment.
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