(Mirror Daily, United States) – A black woman is suing the U.S. retail giant Walmart for locking the beauty products designed for her race in glass while leaving access to the beauty products for other races unrestricted.
The woman has cited racial discrimination and wants to be handsomely compensated.
Initially, Essie Grundy sent a complaint to a Walmart store near her home after she saw that the hair dyes for African Americans were secured in glass displays, while similar products for non-blacks were freely available. The 43-year-old woman visited the store to buy herself a skin cream.
The store replied that the measure was the decision of the corporate office, so she had to let it go for the moment. On a second trip to the store, the woman saw that even a comb for African Americans, which cost just 48 cents, was locked behind glass. It is worth noting that other beauty products were not segregated.
Black Woman Wants to Be Treated Equally
Also, Grundy had to ask an employee to escort her to the checkout and unlock the comb. She reportedly wasn’t allowed to come in contact with it until after she purchased it. It was then when she decided to sue. The woman complains that this is a treatment only applied to black people.
I just feel that we need to be treated equal,
the woman told reporters.
Her attorney said that that was a clear case of discrimination and “second-class citizenship.” The attorney accuses Walmart of racially profiling its black customers. The plaintiff, who has five children, said the entire family was disturbed by the incident.
Walmart replied that the decision about which products get to be secured is taken “on a store-by-store basis,” and the one to have the last say in this issue is usually the store manager.
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