Working At The Barrington Hotel
Morgan had always been a pragmatist. When he noticed the Barrington Hotel’s housekeeping handbook made no mention of male employees, he saw an opportunity. The 22-page document detailed uniform requirements---knee-length mint dresses, white tights, full-coverage bras, and panties---as if only women need apply. At 24, with student loans looming, he’d applied to the hotel expecting to be rejected. His plan? A tidy lawsuit under the city’s gender discrimination statutes. But the Barrington, a 12-story establishment known for its crystal chandeliers and starched linen sheets, surprised him. They called three days after his application. “When can you start?” the manager had asked, not a hint of hesitation in her voice. The uniform was another matter. Morgan stood in the staff boutique, staring at the rack of mint-green dresses. The saleswoman, a veteran housekeeper named Rosa, handed him a size medium. “You’ll need the proper undergarments,” she said matter-of-factly, pointing to a display of cotton bras and high-cut panties. “Policy says full coverage. No exceptions.” He bought them, fingers brushing against the lace trim, wondering if this was a dream. At home, he tried on the outfit---dress, tights, white apron, and the undergarments. The mirror showed a stranger: slender, angular, in a dress that cinched at the waist. He almost laughed. *This’ll get me fired by noon*, he thought.
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