What should I have done? What should I do now?
One of the young female cleaners (18-20) came in to get her radio today wearing a hijab. I recognized it, and was surprised because I'd never seen her wear it before and the rest of her family who works with us definitely do not practice that faith. Anyway, she was also wearing a big sweater, and it was a beautiful day out. I asked her 'how can you be cold?' She kind of looked shocked, went over to her boss and started complaining about how she "knew" people were going to crack jokes about her religious choice, etc, etc, and told me that she was going to be wearing this from now on because she was being more devout. I told her I knew what it was, but I was just making conversation about the weather and how could she be cold. She didn't seem to believe me and kept going on and on about how it was her choice of religious expression, etc. etc. I told her I completely understood and that it was her right, and if anyone gave her trouble or made off-color comments while she was working to let us know because we wouldn't tolerate it. She was still pretty frosty to me.
I don't suppose there's anything I could have ended up saying that she wouldn't have taken the wrong way, and I wonder if she's going to be complaining about people making comments. Yes, people may very well comment and I suppose they have a right to. I hope she just isn't doing this for attention or to pick fights with anyone. I hope she's not using it to protect her job either, because she's been on thiiiin ice lately, and I could see her using the excuse that she can't be fired because she's X religion.
Sigh. This is the 2nd time I've been accused of crap like this. I suppose she'll complain if I just don't talk to her either.
One of the young female cleaners (18-20) came in to get her radio today wearing a hijab. I recognized it, and was surprised because I'd never seen her wear it before and the rest of her family who works with us definitely do not practice that faith. Anyway, she was also wearing a big sweater, and it was a beautiful day out. I asked her 'how can you be cold?' She kind of looked shocked, went over to her boss and started complaining about how she "knew" people were going to crack jokes about her religious choice, etc, etc, and told me that she was going to be wearing this from now on because she was being more devout. I told her I knew what it was, but I was just making conversation about the weather and how could she be cold. She didn't seem to believe me and kept going on and on about how it was her choice of religious expression, etc. etc. I told her I completely understood and that it was her right, and if anyone gave her trouble or made off-color comments while she was working to let us know because we wouldn't tolerate it. She was still pretty frosty to me.
I don't suppose there's anything I could have ended up saying that she wouldn't have taken the wrong way, and I wonder if she's going to be complaining about people making comments. Yes, people may very well comment and I suppose they have a right to. I hope she just isn't doing this for attention or to pick fights with anyone. I hope she's not using it to protect her job either, because she's been on thiiiin ice lately, and I could see her using the excuse that she can't be fired because she's X religion.
Sigh. This is the 2nd time I've been accused of crap like this. I suppose she'll complain if I just don't talk to her either.
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