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Hooters and the EOC
by Barbara Kasper and Barbara Moore
Originally published as "Sexism on the Menu"
in the January 5, 1996 Democrat and Chronicle (Rochester, NY)
“What’s wrong with this picture?” Hooters asked in a
recent ad protesting an EEOC ruling that it should hire
males to be food servers at Hooters’ restaurants. The ad
showed a hairy-faced guy dressed up in the Hooters Girl
outfit of tight, short shorts and skimpy top. To
complete his outfit he had enhanced his breasts and
donned a blonde wig.
Hooters is waging an expensive battle against the
EEOC ruling. Without its waitresses it would lose big
business, for Hooters uses women’s breasts to sell
chicken wings and beer.
Yes, we have to agree, the man in the Hooters Girl
outfit does look ridiculous and knowing that one would
be served by him would not entice many people to come to
the restaurant. But let’s face it, Hooters knows that a
middle-aged, hairy guy pretending to be a woman is not
most people’s idea of sex appeal. Hooters claims that
Hooters Girls “are the essence of the restaurants’
success.” This statement exposes Hooters for what they
really are -- restaurants which exploit women for men’s
enjoyment in order to make money.
We believe that one has to imagine a Hooters Girl in
that ad, and then ask, “What’s wrong with this picture?”
Our answer is -- plenty.
If you go to Hooters you notice that all of the
waitresses are young. They have Hooters-defined cute
bodies and wear short shorts and tops which emphasize
their breasts. Most are white women. Hooters not only
doesn’t want the hiring of men to interfere with their
success, they also apparently don’t want women who are
old, physically challenged, too large, too thin, etc.
Hooters, therefore, is not concerned with job
opportunities for all women - just some women.
Both the menu and signs on the walls emphasize
breasts (“bumps” states one caution sign with the
outline of female breasts) and belittle women (“caution:
blondes thinking”). And if they are not waiting tables,
the waitresses can entertain the customers by working
the hoola hoop. It’s OK, and expected, for the male
customers to ogle the waitresses. Hooters Girls have to
sign a personnel policy in which they “acknowledge that
the work environment is one in which joking and innuendo
based on female sex appeal is commonplace.” The ultimate
effect is that the atmosphere at Hooters mainstreams
sexual harassment.
Hooters encourages the objectification of women.
Everyone knows that “hooters” is a popular slang word
for women’s breasts and the owl logo has eyes which
represent female breasts and nipples. The uniforms
showcase the Hooter Girls breasts and legs. In fact, the
backs of the uniforms used to read “More than a
Mouthful.” And this is done in the guise of clean,
wholesome fun that is suitable for the whole family.
(Most Hooters restaurants have children’s menus.)
When men think of women as objects, not as persons,
it gives them license to put women down, pay them less
wages, and verbally abuse them. After verbal abuse can
come physical abuse such as battering, stalking, rape
and murder. Hooters has created an atmosphere which
provides a foundation for harming women.
Hooters would probably respond that these women
(Hooters would say girls) are not harassed and that they
make good wages. It is their choice to work at Hooters.
Let’s examine the employment choices women have
today. According to recent news reports, there have been
a few males who have applied to be Hooters waiters.
There also may be a few who are going to sue Hooters for
discrimination. But all in all, men are not pounding
down Hooters’ doors for a job. Yet there is a steady
supply of Hooters Girls.
We’re not surprised that being a Hooters Guy is not a
high priority for men and that there’s no shortage of
women applying for the job. Being a waiter is not a job
many men go after since there are so many other jobs
open to them at which the wages are much higher. If they
do want to wait on tables, men often work at the more
expensive restaurants where the tips are even bigger.
Waiting tables is a female-dominated field because it is
low pay and low status. How many men do you see waiting
tables at a Denny’s, Friendly’s or Perkin’s?
Employment opportunities in general are not as good
for women as for men. For women, especially, if one is
unskilled and inexperienced, being segregated in the low
paying, female-dominated jobs such as waitressing, will
not change soon the ratio of women earning 70 cents to
every dollar a man makes. Men are not clamoring to get
into nursing, social work, teaching, or domestic and
secretarial work. Sadly, in the 1990’s many women have
to choose between a job where they are economically
and/or sexually exploited or having no job at all.
Despite Hooters’ ridicule of the EEOC, this agency
serves a crucial function. It enforces Title VII of the
Civil Rights Act of 1964, which is an important legal
basis for women’s equality in the workplace. It
historically has helped women to fight for positions
denied to them by male employers. In the case of
Hooters, the EEOC is ironically fighting for the rights
of men to be eligible for positions denied to them by -
male employers!
If the EEOC’s ruling is successful and Hooters is
forced to hire male waiters, then Hooters’ exploitative
marketing strategy will no longer work. That may force
Hooters out of business. And there’s nothing wrong with
that picture.
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