In the late 90’s, Hooter’s Inc. told the EEOC that their main function is not providing food, rather their executives characterized Hooter’s Restaurants as primarily a provider of, “vicarious sexual entertainment.” Despite this, Hooters advertises themselves as a family restaurant where kids eat free on Tuesdays. They locate themselves in shopping malls and near child-oriented stores. They have high chairs, booster seats and kids’ menus. They sell child sized t-shirts with “Future Hooters Girl” printed across the front.
Hooters cannot have it both ways. Hooters requires the young, pretty women they hire to wear sexually provocative uniforms and to sign a release against what would otherwise be considered a hostile work environment of blatant sexual innuendo, commentary and jokes. If they can claim to the EEOC that they should be allowed to discriminate in hiring because they are a provider of “vicarious sexual entertainment” rather than a restaurant, then they should not be allowed to market to children and families, thus exposing children to a sexualized atmosphere.
“Marketing to young children and creating a family restaurant atmosphere amounts to the legalization and normalization of sexual discrimination and a hostile work environment,” says Patty Bellasalma, president of the California chapter of NOW. “Every local county or city with a Hooters should consider a ban on marketing sexual entertainment to minors, and require that sexual entertainment businesses check IDs at the door.”
Kid’s can’t always choose where they are taken for a meal, let’s make good choices for future generations. Let’s educate kids about gender equality! Millions of child meals have been served up by Hooter’s Restaurants. Demand a ban serving minors in establishments of “vicarious sexual entertainment.”
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