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Hair Care Company Bans Transphobic Salon Owner From Selling Their Products
Jack Winn Pro said it was shocked to discover the salon owner’s comments and immediately initiated an investigation.
Following the announcement that some LGBTQ+ members, particularly transgender and queer folks, are not welcome at her salon, a Michigan salon owner has been barred from affiliating with Jack Win Pro, a product line she had used, promoted, and sold there.
According to a since-deleted Facebook post, Christine Geiger advised those looking for hair care services and identified as “anything other than a man/woman” to “seek services at a local pet groomer.” She announced that at Studio 8 Hair Lab in Traverse City, some customers are categorically banned because of who they are.
“You are not welcome at this salon. Period,” she said of transgender and gender-nonconforming individuals.
Geiger claimed that she’s fine serving lesbian, gay, and bisexual people, but she drew the line at providing services for the “TQ+” people represented in the LGBTQ+ acronym.
The plus symbol, she claimed, represented pedophiles. It does not.
Jack Winn Pro, a hair care products manufacturer, publicly distanced itself from Geiger’s remarks after they gained national attention on Tuesday.
People on Facebook and elsewhere were outraged at the blatant bigotry demonstrated by the small business owner.
“It has come to our attention that disturbing comments have been attributed to one of our product users. We want to make it clear that we disapprove of and reject hate speech in any form. Such actions go against the very values we hold dear and strive to uphold,” the company posted on Instagram. “The stylist who made those comments no longer has authorization to represent our brand or products.”
In the post, Jack Winn Pro committed that the company is investigating the reported incident so that appropriate action can be taken.
“We stand in solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community and reiterate our commitment to supporting their rights,” the manufacturer wrote.
Michigan’s Attorney General, Dana Nessel, indicated through a spokesperson earlier Wednesday that she knows about Geiger’s statements.
“At the Department, we have received several complaints pertaining to the bigotry exhibited by the salon proprietor in Traverse City, and the Attorney General finds the comments to be hateful, reprehensible remarks that seek only to marginalize a community already suffering from discriminatory animus in Michigan and elsewhere,” Nessel’s press secretary Danny Wimmer told Out's sister publication The Advocate.
Christopher Wiggins is a senior national reporter for The Advocate. He has a rich career in storytelling and highlighting underrepresented voices. Growing up in a bilingual household in Germany, his German mother and U.S. Army father exposed him to diverse cultures early on, influencing his appreciation for varied perspectives and communication. His work in Washington, D.C., primarily covers the nexus of public policy, politics, law, and LGBTQ+ issues. Wiggins' reporting focuses on revealing lesser-known stories within the LGBTQ+ community. Key moments in his career include traveling with Vice President Kamala Harris and interviewing her in the West Wing about LGBTQ+ support.
Christopher Wiggins is a senior national reporter for The Advocate. He has a rich career in storytelling and highlighting underrepresented voices. Growing up in a bilingual household in Germany, his German mother and U.S. Army father exposed him to diverse cultures early on, influencing his appreciation for varied perspectives and communication. His work in Washington, D.C., primarily covers the nexus of public policy, politics, law, and LGBTQ+ issues. Wiggins' reporting focuses on revealing lesser-known stories within the LGBTQ+ community. Key moments in his career include traveling with Vice President Kamala Harris and interviewing her in the West Wing about LGBTQ+ support.
