is it OK for job postings to require a “clean-cut appearance”?

by Alison Green on October 17, 2024

A reader writes:

There is a small family-owned butcher shop near me. They list job postings on their Facebook page, and I’ve noticed every time they post for counter staff, that they include “clean-cut” or “clean-cut appearance” in their list of requirements for applicants. I don’t believe this is specifically about food handling/sanitation requirements, since the employees currently working at the counter there do not wear hair nets or hats.

This bothers me, largely because it feels wrong to consider appearance when making hiring decisions. Also, that particular phrasing only references hair directly, but to me it has 1950’s-small-town-USA connotations a la Pleasantville and so feels to me like it would also exclude tattoos, goth style, brightly-colored hair, extra-large bodies, or anything other than fairly generic-looking white people. I know I personally would feel uncomfortable applying there with “clean-cut” included, so I suspect others would also self-select out of applying.

Which leads to my questions:
• Is it illegal (in the U.S.) to use appearance as a criteria for job candidates? I suspect not, based on the existence of the Hooters chain, but maybe it is?
• Am I overreacting or reading too much into the term “clean-cut”?
• If the job posting is problematic and/or illegal, would it be any better if the business had a well-defined dress code prohibiting facial hair, visible tattoos, non-natural hair colors, etc. and the job posting just said “must be willing to adhere to dress code once hired”?

It’s not illegal in the U.S. to require a “clean-cut appearance” as long as it’s not used in ways that discriminate based on sex, race, religion, or other protected characteristics.

For example, courts have ruled that employers can prohibit facial hair on employees as long as they make exceptions for religious practices and people with conditions that make shaving painful.

They can also legally prohibit tattoos, goth style, and other specific appearance choices (again, as long as they make exceptions for protected classes).

There are a few jurisdictions in the U.S. that prohibit appearance discrimination, but they’re the exceptions and are usually narrowly defined. For example, Michigan prohibits discrimination based on height or weight, but not other appearance-related characteristics. Santa Cruz, Calif. protects physical characteristics from “birth, accident, or disease” that are otherwise “beyond the control of the person,” including height and weight (but excluding things like dress, grooming, tattoos, and piercings).

I do think you’re probably reading more into “clean-cut” than is typically intended, at least in terms of assuming it’s code for white (but I can also see how you got there, given our history).

Because the term does allow so much room for interpretation, it would be better for any employer using it to spell out exactly what it means to them — since for all we know, they’re fine with tattoos but hate long hair on men, or it’s really just about facial hair, or any number of other possibilities.

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{ 221 comments }

{ 221 comments… read them below }

  1. Justin*

    I’m Black and I get where you’re coming from, but it’s all in the actual results. If they do end up with an all-white (or all-whatever) staff… over several years (bc if there are only a few employees, that won’t really mean much), your suspicions might be vindicated.

    1. Michelle Smith*

      Yep. I’m also Black and my first thought was that clean cut would probably exclude me due to my natural hair. But I could be wrong!

      1. No Lizards Allowed*

        FYI, Illinois law prohibits discrimination based on hair, including braids, locks, or other protective hairstyles.

        1. Reluctant Mezzo*

          My husband, the chemistry teacher *adored* rows because anything that kept hair from getting into things delighted him.

      2. B.*

        Yeah, I can think of two minority races (Black and Native American) and at least one religion (Sikh specifically, though certain Jewish sects may also require a beard on any man about to grow one) that would be self-selected out of this job posting the way the letter writer (and myself as well, to be honest) interpreted it. Especially if it plays into the common (white) racially biased idea of what should be “proper” presentation re:hair.

        Unrelated though, I’m kinda concerned these people aren’t wearing proper PPE/nets/whatever-the-word-is while handling presumably raw meat and doing food prep. Maybe our local butcher does it like that in the back, but in front of customers? The team is hair netted and gloved up at a minimum (for serving prepared meats and cheeses). :\

    2. ferrina*

      My mind immediately went to CROWN acts. This is exactly why these laws exist (in the few places they do exist- I would love to see more). “Clean-cut” could easily be interpreted to discriminate against Black hair and hairstyles.

    3. UKDancer*

      I think you’re right about the number of people. If it’s a very small company it’s really hard to draw conclusions about demographics. I mean my butcher has 4 staff usually, the main butcher (white), his brother (also white), the brother’s daughter (also white) and an apprentice (Korean at present but they tend to change often). It’s a bit hard to say people aren’t hiring a diverse range of staff when 3 of them are related and the fourth one comes from an apprenticeship scheme.

    4. JPalmer*

      Yeah, this feels like ‘functional’ discrimination that doesn’t get adequately called out.

      I imagine it’s also for ushering away individuals who don’t fit a ‘conservative sensibility’. And I get that it’s a counter position and you don’t want someone with the knuckle tattoos of ‘KILL YOU!’, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it gets used against folks who don’t fit the their ‘desired’ type of person. Like would they turn away a trans person or minority folx for not being ‘clean cut’ enough.

      1. Jess*

        Now I’m picturing a butcher with knuckle tattoos that say “BEEF” and “PORK.” Which I think would be ideal, but not for this particular job, I guess.

  2. Chairman of the Bored*

    I think the LW is reading too much into this one (admittedly vague and old-fashioned) term and ascribing meaning to it that doesn’t typically apply.

    Example: Kenan Thompson is both not white and not thin, but I suspect he’d still meet most people’s understanding of a “clean-cut appearance”.

    It is a bad way of writing a job posting and if a specific appearance is something that matters that much to the business they should be clearer about what they’re looking for.

    1. Cj*

      yeah, I get where the letter writer is coming from when they say it might eliminateor goth or whatever. but I would never consider clean cut to mean body type or race.

      I personally wouldn’t even consider it to me goth, tattoos, etc as long as the person is clean and neat.

      1. MsM*

        Yeah, I’d interpret it as “don’t make our customers question whether we’re meeting basic sanitary standards.” (I suppose some people would have that question over tattoos, but that’s on them.)

        1. Cassandra*

          Ehh, I would be more inclined to agree with you if they actually made their employees wear hair nets, which the OP specifically says they don’t. It does not sound like a health & safety standards thing at all.

      2. HCworker*

        Honestly, I’d even say maybe there are good reasons to exclude certain types of goth attire if it involves a lot of jewelry (potential problem with food handling) or many loose layers with a lot of potential for getting caught in stuff, trailing through food, etc.

        And I say that as someone who has a “goth lite” style a lot of the time. Not every subculture or grooming choice has to be stridently defended in the same way we protect people from types of discrimination based on race, disability, etc. I’m not saying it makes sense to state “no goths allowed” but it does make a lot of sense to have dress code expectations based on the needs of the job, and as soon as you have dress code expectations you’re going to by definition exclude some forms of dress.

        1. UKDancer*

          Yes, I’d think for food handling you’d want people not to wear jewellery as a rule. I mean rings get caught in devices, dangly necklaces can be pulled off if you lean over. It’s probably a rule in most butchers not to wear a lot of things that could cause injury and not to wear loose clothes or hair. That said my local butcher has longer hair but he has it tied back in a ponytail and wears a hair net.

        2. Lydia*

          I’m trying to put my finger on why this both makes sense and bothers me. I think it’s because normally a person’s aesthetic can be adopted to situations. A person who likes to dress sporty can still find something that’s appropriate for work but fits within their style. I have seen the language of being “clean cut” mean you must have short hair for men/straight styled hair for women, which leads to discrimination. Clean cut doesn’t actually include indigenous people who grow out their hair, or people whose religious practice includes beards.

          This was language I saw back in 1996 in a job posting for…Texaco, who then paid out about $176million in damages for racially discriminating against employees. When that happened, that language disappeared from their job listings and that tells me all I need to know about the reason it was included.

          1. Allonge*

            A person who likes to dress sporty can still find something that’s appropriate for work but fits within their style.

            But we would advise the employer to note the expectations regarding dress / style / appearance in the job ad, no? Sure, most people (in any case most people not on TV) are not so attached to a specific style that they cannot modify it to suit the work needs. But it should be clear from the ad that something exists here.

            Is ‘clear-cut’ a great way to put this? Not really. It’s a butcher shop though, not an English professorship. I would want to see the results of this hiring before making a judgment on how much of an issue it is.

            1. Orora*

              There is a clear-cut way to put this. In the ad, talk specifically about a dress code rather than vague terms like “clean-cut”. Something like:

              Please note: Visible tattoos must covered during work. Jewelry and loose clothing, as well as loose hair, are prohibited as a safety precaution.

              If you can’t find a way to be specific about what you’re looking for without sounding prejudiced against certain styles or people, you should re-examine why those qualities are important and if they are really required by the job or are a personal bias.

          2. HCworker*

            Yeah, that’s completely valid, and I think that’s why the job listing is clanging for a lot of us (me included). I brought up subculture/style because the OP did, and that stood out to me because it sounded like they were as concerned about making sure a variety of aesthetics get included as they are about other dimensions of inclusion. I actually agree that inclusion of that sort would make the world a better place, but I just don’t see putting optional, temporary, relatively superficial self-expression on the same level as stuff like cultural hairstyles, etc. That’s why I mentioned goth attire. I agree it would be very bad for a business to use this kind of language to exclude, say, bigger bodies or trans people or folks with protective hairstyles. But I’m not going to get as up in arms about a business deciding alt/goth is not the aesthetic they want representing their business, and the OP kinda rolled them all together.

          3. Beany*

            “When that happened, that language disappeared from their job listings and that tells me all I need to know about the reason it was included.”

            Changing language in future job listings after a court found past listings to be discriminatory is a rational business decision. It doesn’t mean you intended the offending language to have that discriminatory effect to begin with.

            1. Lydia*

              Except for that part where they were actually found guilty of racially discriminating against groups of people.

      3. Lacey*

        Yeah, I think clean cut just means you look tidy.

        So a white person without tattoos, but with tangled hair, sloppy clothes and body odor wouldn’t be clean cut, but anyone who had neat, clean clothes & hair would be.

        1. ferrina*

          The issue is that “tidy” hair can be accidentally (or intentionally) racially biased. For example, are locs considered “tidy”? What about fros?

          Or if we are considering clothes, certain body types are hard to find well-fitting clothes for. Designers tend to design for only certain body types, and if your dimensions aren’t commonly designed for, it’s a pain to find clothes that fit well. You spend a lot more time and/or money for clothes that fit well, which if you work a low-paying job or are just starting your career, can be a real barrier.

    2. lost academic*

      Given that this is a butcher, I would put some reasonable money on the person writing the ad groping for the phrase “clean shaven” and missing just a little.

      1. Fish Microwaver*

        I thought “neatly groomed” or “clean and tidy appearance” were possibly the words they were looking for.

    4. mreasy*

      It is such an old fashioned term though… using it instead of “well groomed and neat” or something like that does feel dog whistle-y to me. But also they could just know the phrase and not be thinking about those implications. If I were advising them I would recommend rewording it but hopefully it doesn’t dissuade applicants who would be welcomed!

    5. I Have RBF*

      So, when I see “clean-cut” in a job description that says to me that they want a cis, white male with short hair, no facial hair (no mustache or beard), no tattoos, no make-up, and conservative dress. It rules out women, people with facial hair, people with long hair, people with non-straight hair, people with tattoos or scarring, and people with alternative or religious dress. A Sikh, a Hassidic Jew, a traditional Muslim, etc would not qualify due to facial hair or head covering. So it’s a dog whistle IMO.

  3. the 1%*

    “Clean-cut” is not just a reference to hair, it refers to a generally well-groomed, somewhat conventional appearance. Think clothes that fit and are in good repair rather than baggy or torn clothes. But it absolutely doesn’t mean you have to be white or thin.

    1. duinath*

      And I would guess your hair doesn’t actually have to be cut in a specific way, just generally neat and if it’s long probably put back or up.

    2. Radioactive Cyborg Llama*

      Mmm, there are plenty of people who would not consider a fat person clean cut just because they’re fat. And many Black hairstyles would not be considered “clean cut” by some folks, either. I don’t think either of those are appropriate, but biases do exist.

      1. Silver Robin*

        Just dropping into agree. The same outfit on a fat body is considered untidy and gross, while on a thin person it is smart and chic. Do not get me started on how revealing the neckline can be depending on the shape of the bust underneath.

        Clean cut having a million shades of meaning creates space for discrimination based on whatever biases the employer has. I get LW being suspicious; though we would have to actually take a look at who gets employed/sticks around to see whether biases are actually at play.

        1. Dek*

          This exactly.

          Everyone dropping in to share their interpretation of the phrase is sort of indicative of the problem. It CAN be an absolutely innocuous and reasonable request. But it can also mean…Not Certain People Please.

          Someone pointed out Keenan Thompson would fit “clean cut.” Sure, but I feel like, say, Lou Wilson wouldn’t to SOME people, purely because of the hair.

          It’s not inherently a red flag, but employers should probably find a more precise phrase.

          1. Quill*

            Yeah. For a much better ad, they would want to list things that are actually applicable (piercings must be removed while at work, etc.) and what kind of ppe they use.

    3. a trans person*

      It can absolutely mean that you have to be thin. We have many, many examples in this site’s history of people who find *any* clothes look poorly groomed on a fat body.

      1. the 1%*

        I’m talking about the standard definition of “clean cut.” Obviously it is possible to interpret the term in a weird way (like the LW) but standard definitions exist!

        1. Lydia*

          It’s not weird when you know that language has been used in the past to discriminate against specific groups of people.

        2. ferrina*

          The technical definition and the colloquial usage are not equivalent.

          Technically, sure.
          But in practical usage? The beauty standard of “professional” has often been used to define a very certain beauty standard. Studies have shown that people who are fat are less likely to receive promotions and career advancement. Styles that are considered professional on one body type may be looked down on when worn by another body type (see also: AAM letters from women being shamed at work for having normal clothes but people don’t like that the women have boobs).
          See also: CROWN acts. It’s quite common to see discrimination against Black hair and Black hairstyles. Styles that are clean, beautiful and take hours to create are dismissed as “not professional” because they are Black styles in Black hair.
          See also: Any minority that has to step up the formality of their dress to be taken seriously. Not sure if there is any study on this, but I’ve experienced/witnessed/heard a ton of minorities and women run into this issue. I’ve been in situations where I had to walk in to meetings wearing outfits several layers up of formality in order to get the same level of respect as junior colleagues who were wearing stained jeans and a t-shirt (why yes, I am a woman and the junior colleagues were men, and yes, this was at a tech company, how could you tell /s)

          1. Middle Aged Lady*

            This! I once worked at a restaurant where we could wear shorts: IF our legs were thin, tanned and shaven. One larger, pale female employee was told she could not wear shorts. Funny that those rules didn’t apply to the men on staff.

            1. Goose.*

              That’s really awful M.A.L. As a fellow middle-aged lady, I’ve definitely experienced this. I used to wear heel every day because I found it made people see me (fat middle aged lady) as ‘polished’. I hated it but I hated the comments on my appearance and body more so it was a useful (short-term) defence mechanism.

        3. Dek*

          That’s the issue though. There ISN’T a “standard definition” of “clean cut.”

          Just because it’s *your* default doesn’t mean it’s everyone’s, and it’s not a stretch or weird to be aware of the fact that that particularly vagueness has been used in discriminatory ways.

    4. RG*

      I worked for a regional supermarket chain for almost ten years that was known for its “clean cut” dress code. It was a really racially diverse workplace (especially considering that the town the store was in was majority white) and the application of the “clean cut” dress code, while pretty gendered, didn’t seem to be particularly biased against non-white employees – women just had to have their hair tied back so it didn’t fall in front of their shoulders, and men couldn’t have hair that went below their ears. This still left room for braids and shorter fros, and I saw multiple coworkers rock those styles while working there. Employees also couldn’t have beards (but weirdly mustaches were fine??), and you were limited to I think one piercing per ear – any other piercings had to be taken out or covered up. Tattoos were very popular, although the uniforms usually covered them up (we all wore long-sleeved jackets). And you had to wear a collared shirt – plus a tie if you were male.

      It’s not my preferred dress code, but as far as “clean cut” dress codes go, I think it ended up being fairly broad in its application. Admittedly, I don’t know how someone who identified as non-binary would have felt about the gendered nature of the dress code, but when we had trans employees they were held to the dress code of the gender they identified as, not the gender assigned at birth.

    5. HB*

      I agree with this, but I also had an identical reaction to the LW at the phrase.

      “Clean-cut” is a bit like “nice young man” in that it definitely has a standard/innocuous meaning, but when I’ve heard it used, it’s usually to describe someone in a particular socio-economic class. It doesn’t necessarily mean white, but it may exclude certain racial groups. However, in that context there are usually other clues (vocal intonation, etc) which make the more insidious meaning clear.

      So kindof going back to the first response to this post, I think a lot depends on how you see this language playing out in their hiring practices, as well as the general vibe of the place. The people who use “clean-cut” as a dog whistle don’t usually try to be subtle about it.

      It might still deter qualified applicants who would otherwise be hired, but I’m struggling to think of an alternative phrase. This is a customer facing role in food service. The LW mentions that they don’t wear hair net, but is that partly a function of their clean-cut appearance requirement? In practice clean-cut could mean clean-shaven (as someone mentioned down below), and very short hair, or tightly pulled back in a bun or braid(s). If that’s the case, “clean-cut” feels closer to the desired result than just “well-groomed” or “professional” since the latter two make me think more of attire than just their hair.

  4. Cease and D6*

    I suppose the question for OP, since this is a local shop that they have presumably visited, is whether the demographics of the current butcher shop employees (compared to those of the town in question) support a hypothesis that ‘clean cut’ is being used to discriminate against a protected class. For instance, if the place the shop is located is very diverse but the staff are all “fairly generic-looking white people”, that could mean this term is a euphemism for something that would be illegal. If those things aren’t true, it plausibly isn’t.

    1. ThisIsNotADuplicateComment*

      This is probably the best way to look at it. Clean cut is generic enough that reasonable people wouldn’t use it to mean “white” but assholes definitely would, and there’s unfortunately no way to know which this place is without some legwork.

  5. Juneau*

    For example, courts have ruled that employers can prohibit facial hair on employees as long as they make exceptions for religious practices and people with conditions that make shaving painful.

    How does that work for positions where employees have to wear respirators? They wouldn’t get through fit testing.

    1. FMNDL*

      Whether religious accommodation requests must be granted does depend to some extent on the burden to the employer – if the employer can successfully argue that there is not an accommodation that will enable the employee to still complete the job, the accommodation request may not have to be approved.

      (I am not a lawyer but I do work in this area.)

    2. EMP*

      IANAL but this probably goes under the heading of must be able to perform the core aspects of the job.

    3. C in DC*

      If it is a job requirement that one needs to wear a respirator, then the employer can state that facial hair is not allowed for safety reasons or work conditions and then it’s not discrimination. It’s why, for example, people in the U.S. Navy are allowed to have moustaches but not beards – equipment doesn’t fit over beards.

      1. KatePM*

        USAF has allowed shaving waivers forever, and recently relaxed their shaving standards. I know many careers in the Air Force require use of masks, especially if deploying, but I’m not sure how the appearance of facial hair affects masking and deploying.

        1. Bella Ridley*

          Not US military, but in other militaries there are a few workarounds. The member shaves for the fit test and gas hut, keeps their beard otherwise, and then shaves if deploying into a CBRN environment. The member may use Vaseline to get an appropriate seal (varies depending on type of respirator, type of beard, nature of contaminant). There are also gas masks designed for use with beards, typically targeted at Sikh men who keep long beards, that provide a full-head-type barrier that usually seals around the neck.

        2. Liane*

          My husband was in the Air Force years ago and he told me that the shaving waivers then allowed only the shortest possible beards, nothing like the full beard he prefers as a 60-ish veteran. :)

          1. AF Vet*

            I’ve seen a few pretty spectacular beards. At least one was because the Airman was Norse, and that religion allowed for beards. Therefore, he had a religious exemption and walked around like a billboard for modern Vikings. :) I think when he deployed he shaved it, because he eventually showed up clean-shaven and I didn’t recognize him!

      2. pandop*

        That’s really surprising, as beards have always been more common in the Royal Navy than either of the other two services in the UK

    4. LBCM*

      My son is a Fire Captain and they are not allowed to have beards as the masks they wear into a fire would not seal properly.

    5. spcepickle*

      I employee people who wear respirators – We do have a reasonable accommedation of a PAPR for people who can’t / don’t want to be fit tested, but only because we already own them (they are WAY more expensive than respirators). Our rule is you must be fit tested for a respirator and then maintain your facial hair OR you must be willing to wear a PAPR. We give each person their own respirator, but we only have two PAPRs so sometimes people have to share them. (Obviously wearing it at different times, not two people trying to wear one PAPR)

      1. Dawn*

        At first I read this as your saying that you already owned the people and I was terribly confused.

        It’s probably time for some more antipyretics…

      2. Reading Rainbow*

        This, or perhaps you fit-test using the Singh Thattha technique which was specifically created to accommodate religious facial hair for medical staff who must wear respirators. I haven’t personally seen that one done but I have heard of it, anyway.

    7. Cthulhu’s Librarian*

      I was going to comment about this as well. I’ve seen the “clean cut” language used in job postings at firehouses and hospitals, where respirators and masks needed to be fit tested, and the reasons that I have heard given were that facial hair interferes with maintaining a seal on these pieces of equipment.

    8. Boof*

      I’m pretty sure there are respirators made to accommodate facial hair, though they aren’t quite as easily available and they might have to carry some with them etc – they’re kind of like hoods/helmets. There might be a workaround with a beard wrap too but I’m not as in the know about that.
      It’s not a problem with usual masks to prevent standard germs/surgery, but more for the big guns for preventing known TB (airborn precautions – N95 respirators etc) or working with hazardous materials.

  6. carrot cake*

    I take “clean cut” to mean looking hygienic, e.g. clean fingernails, brushed teeth, clothing with no stains or holes; and being pleasant and professional.

    1. Tech Industry Refugee*

      That is how I interpreted it, too. Didn’t seem insidious to me. This is common in the food service industry.

        1. Happy*

          You might have a very clear definition in your head of what “professional” means. That doesn’t mean the definition is not ambiguous. Other people have a completely different definition (see: the inevitable debate that comes up in the comments when the question is brought up). And for some people, the definition shifts based on circumstances or is just used as a cudgel exclusively on people who don’t fit some particular mold unrelated to professionalism.

    3. Charlotte Lucas*

      I worked for a famous mouse back in the day. They had a whole guide describing what was expected for a clean-cut appearance.

    4. Friday Hopeful*

      I thought so too. If I were shopping at a butcher shop I would be grossed out by a lot of stringy hair and dirty ripped clothes or someone who looked like they had bad personal hygene. It certainly would affect sales.

    6. JustaTech*

      The word I would use for your description is “clean” or “tidy”.

      In my head “clean cut” usually ends up looking like a 1960’s NASA engineer.

      Which just shows how much individual experiences flavor our interpretation of a seemingly simple phrase.

  7. FMNDL*

    At least 22 states in the U.S. also have some version of a CROWN Act, which prohibits race-based hair discrimination by employers (such as banning locs or Afros). Definitely look into your state’s version for specifics.

  8. I AM a Lawyer*

    I wonder how this would interact with something like California’s CROWN act, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of hairstyles historically associated with race, like locs or braids.

    1. I should really pick a name*

      Clean cut is a fairly subjective term.
      It doesn’t universally exclude those hairstyles (though I’m sure there are people intend it to).

    1. Selina Luna*

      That’s a reasonable question. I wonder if size of business matters when it comes to hiring choices. I would think so, but I don’t know. I know that even small businesses are not allowed to discriminate service based on protected classes (though even that would exclude sartorial choices). I know for sure that a business that doesn’t want people wearing or failing to wear certain clothes is welcome to make that a rule of their business.

    2. MotherofaPickle*

      I was wondering that, too. I worked for a decade for a small, locally-owned ice cream place that almost exclusively hired high school girls. No bias in hiring at all…that’s usually who applied. In fact, the high school boys, or Older Ladies who applied never (and I mean NEVER worked out), but Boss usually gave them a chance.

      A decade later and I always got back to get ice cream or cheese fries whenever I’m in town and it’s still high school/early college ladies. And Boss doesn’t do the hiring anymore. My former co-manager does and he only sees “potential” not “chromosomes”. But, on second thought, anyone “clean cut” would be in the running, because “unkempt” doesn’t present well to the customer.

    3. avocado lawyer*

      Depends on the state (and maybe locality). Federally, an employer needs 15+ employees to be subject to most anti-discrimination laws like Title VII, the ADA, etc., but many similar state and some local laws cover smaller employers. Some kick in at a single employee.

  10. Heidi*

    Is it possible that “clean-cut” is intended as some sort of butcher humor? It’s not great if it is, but it’s such a specific job I’m wondering how it could be a coincidence.

    2. a trans person*

      I didn’t think of this, and I regret that if it was the intention… I actually find it pretty funny? Shame the problematic pieces are more visible.

    3. This OP*

      Knowing the shop, if they intended for it to be a pun, they’d have put “pun intended ;)” in the posting!

      1. Candace*

        I first read (incorrectly) the job ad as one for a barber, and that’s what I was thinking, too.

  11. L-squared*

    I’m black, and I’d still consider myself clean cut.

    Short hair, either clean shaven or short beard, no visible tattoos.

    I don’t take it offensively if I see it, because I have some friends who frankly pride themselves on NOT being clean cut. And that is their choice. But I won’t begrudge a business for wanting to put forth a certain aesthetic.

    I always use the example, if someone has a hip hop clothing store, I don’t know that I’d want a kid who looks goth in there, even if I may be happy to have that same kid working in a place focusing on heavy metal clothing.

    1. Suze*

      Right, I was also bemused by the suggestion this rather straight-forward phrase could be construed as racist or something. Glad to hear that a non-white person agrees. (I am mixed race but live outside of the US). I don’t want to be unkind but being offended by something like this seems like virtue signaling, there are more serious problems than small businesses not using the optimally PC language in job postings.

      1. Dek*

        The thing is, this “rather straight-forward” phrase HAS been used to discriminate in the past.

        Because it’s not really straight forward. It’s subjective. Some folks would say “clean cut” just means “clean.” My mom would say “clean cut” means that men have no facial hair and their hair isn’t longer than an inch or so.

      2. RM*

        It has historically been used to provide cover for various types of discrimination. In the modern day, it’s not *supposed* to be used that way, but the OP wonders if it might be doing so.

  12. Rachel*

    If I saw this posting I’d assume they meant fairly basic standards as far as looking clean, probably no huge or facial tattoos, ripped clothes, elaborate piercings etc…none of which is terribly unusual in a client facing position.

    1. Paint N Drip*

      I do think it’s an interesting thing to include on a job listing though, because I personally would self-select out and choose not to apply even though I work solely in client-facing positions. And probably the WAYS I’m not clean-cut (my hair is wavy and mostly looks messy even when freshly clean and styled, I always have pet hair on me, I’m plus-sized and my clothes can look frumpy or ‘off’ due to sizing/cut/etc.) are exactly the things a butcher shop doesn’t want to deal with, so perhaps they have the right idea!

  13. Not A Manager*

    I read “clean cut” in this case to mean “mainstream appearance, not alternative or edgy.” But it’s an old-fashioned term with a lot of cultural connotations. In my experience, it was applied approvingly mostly to middle-class white boys who played sports. I never heard a woman referred to as “clean cut,” and if it was applied to a POC it was usually accompanied by some other pretty loaded words.

    I would have some feelings about a business advertising in this way.

    1. Goldenrod*

      I get what you mean, but women and POC can absolutely be clean-cut.

      What this particular employer had in mind, of course, we don’t know.

      1. Ellis Bell*

        I completely agree with you that women and POC can be clean cut, as I understand the term. I have to say though, it wasn’t until Not A Manager said it that I realised this, but I don’t think I’ve ever heard it applied to a woman either.

      1. Kelly L.*

        Same. My most charitable interpretation would be “these are deeply small-c conservative people that I wouldn’t want to work with.” Even though I’d probably qualify. It gives the impression of a 50s kind of conformity.

        1. I should really pick a name*

          Middle-aged, gay, black man.
          My most charitable interpretation would be that they mean good hygiene, clothes without holes, and just didn’t put that much effort into their word choice.

          1. Lydia*

            I think that’s the best approach. Not that they’re intending it to be code, but that they didn’t choose their phrasing very well. I commented previously that similar language appeared in a job posting for a Texaco station where I worked and after the $176million settlement Texaco had to pay for very clear racial discrimination, that language disappeared. I’d like to think it was because they rethought what the “clean cut” language could appear to mean, but I’m also suspicious.

    3. Hroethvitnir*

      This. Impossible to say based on wording alone – but the fact it’s unclear is a feature, not a bug, if you do mean it as a dog whistle.

    4. commensally*

      My interpretation of this would either be it’s a dog whistle, or these people don’t know enough abut employment discrimination history in the US to know it has a long history as dog whistle, so either way I’d be going in somewhat cautiously. With a small local business I would be more inclined to give them the benefit of the doubt that it’s just not anything they ever needed to know they needed to know, but any place big enough to have an HR department I would be really wary.

  14. Tech Industry Refugee*

    I think OP is reading too far into the employer saying “clean cut.” Most likely, the employer has encountered disheveled applicants and/or they are trying to portray a certain high-quality vibe for their brand. More than likely it means, look neat and groomed, wear clothes that are clean and ironed.

    1. I'm just here for the cats!!*

      Exactly! Especially in food service there is often a specific grooming needed. No long or dirty nails, clean clothes, hair tied back, etc.

      I know many POC who are “clean-cut” and many people who have alternative styles (goth, etc) that would be the definition of clean cut.

      1. Peanut Hamper*

        This is where I landed as well. They want someone who is well-groomed, has hair that is under control, and wears clean clothes that don’t show visible underwear. Given that they are working around food (especially in a butcher shop where things can get ground into meat or sausage), I don’t think this is especially terrible.

        They could definitely have used more specific wording though. Again, use your words, say exactly what you want.

    2. The OG Sleepless*

      I worked at a place that hired entry-level workers and the phrase they used was “neat appearance.” The employers themselves weren’t the most inclusive bunch in their personal views, but it didn’t seen to affect their hiring decisions, and over the years they had people of widely different races and body types as well as at least one hard-core goth.

  15. DramaQ*

    I think it is someone who likely didn’t think through the connotations of the phrase.

    I work in food and I cannot have long nails, fake nails, nail polish. If I worked in the plant I would have to remove my eyebrow and nose piercing because there is always the chance they could fall out into product.

    A new tattoo depending on where it is at would be eye brow raising because it is a healing wound. It’d need to be somewhere I could keep covered and clean when working with product.

    I need to have short hair (shoulder length or shorter) or if I have long hair it must be tied up when working so it doesn’t get caught in things or drop into product.

    “Clean cut” to me would mean dressing and groomed in a way that both keeps me safe and keeps the product clean/safe.

    If I can’t even do that for the interview working around raw meat products with lots of sharp objects probably isn’t for me.

    1. Tech Industry Refugee*

      This is a great, detailed example. It also applies to other occupations – in massage school our nails had to be cut and unpolished, since long nails can harbor bacteria and polish can chip.

    2. Earlk*

      I agree, the fact that this is a food processing job I read clean cut as basically following these regulations. If it had been at a gardening centre it would possibly be more concerning.

    3. DawnShadow*

      This is what I was thinking too. And I was also wondering if the reason that people in the small butcher shop don’t have to wear hairnets is because they are clean cut.

  16. Dawn*

    Honestly, I agree with you that I read “clean-cut” as “looking like the alt-right white dudes who showed up for Charlottetown” but there’s probably not much you can actually do about that beyond not working for/patronizing them.

    It might be interesting to call them up and ask them to define it, though.

    1. spuffyduds*

      Very much agreeing with your point, but as a Virginia resident I am required to let you know that scary riot went down in CharlottesVILLE.

      1. Dawn*

        Sorry, that’s fair. I’m dealing with a fever and I’m not American lol, please forgive my error.

  17. Goldenrod*

    I’ll probably get absolutely slaughtered in the comments (pun intended), but I’m not sure I would want to buy meat from a goth.

      1. Goldenrod*

        Well, I was being a little facetious but something about the connotations of Dracula/vampires/blood with goth + purchasing meat could give a butcher shop a dark, murderous vibe…

        In reality, though, I’d probably be fine with it! I understand that in reality goths are perfectly nice people…

    3. Paint N Drip*

      Personally I’d be SUPER into a goth butcher shop, the opportunities for jokes and aesthetics are just out of control

      1. penny dreadful analyzer*

        I live in a goth-heavy area and now I am offended that we don’t have a goth butcher shop. Although maybe it’s for the best because I’d end up eating so, so much steak.

    4. RVA Cat*

      Meat you could tell. It’s the meat pies you have to watch out for – especially when they’re right next to the goth barber.

    5. JPalmer*

      Most Goths I’ve met were either
      – Very detailed about their appearance and hygiene. Like it takes a lot of effort to maintain a nicely manicured goth appearance
      – Were sacking Rome (history joke)

  18. Ellis Bell*

    It really all depends on whether they’re going by the dictionary definition of clean cut, or if they’re just using it as a euphemism for something else. If they literally mean “clean cut”, that doesn’t mean hygienically clean, it’s the difference between cutting paper with sharp scissors, and tearing it. i.e. a clean cut makes for smooth edges and neatness. So, for clothing, it would be indicating neat clothing, well cared for, non ragged, and no holes; in terms of your theory about goths, it would be more against punks than goths, because you can be gothic and still be incredibly neat and sharply outlined. When it comes to hair/personal appearance, again it should really only refer to being as neat and smooth as expected for most workplaces. Speaking as a curly haired person, you definitely come across people who think that any curls or textured/natural afro hair is never “neat”, or that fat people are never well dressed (which is what I meant by using “clean cut” as a euphemism) but it’s not necessarily what people mean. Tatoos, I think are not really covered by this! So much depends on the specific culture of the workplace, and even the nature of the tattoo, that I would probably treat that as a separate issue, though I understand what you mean.

    1. amoeba*

      Yeah, for instance with the Goth/punk example, I’d assume that a punk or goth who turns up to work in more or less neutral clothing (plain black, only a little bit of jewelry, nothing torn or dirty) and with dyed, but clean hair that’s, for instance, in a ponytail or some other neat hairstyle, would be fine. If they decide to go full-on ripped trousers, hair styled in a 20 cm mohawk, tons of different jewelry – probably not so great.

  19. Mesquito*

    I’m not saying they weren’t saying this to be discriminatory, I don’t know the situation. But I do know that like 10 years ago all the wildest-looking punk rock guys w the living room tattoos and the rusty scissor haircuts decided to get jobs as butchers for some reason, maybe best case scenario they’re just trying to avoid that.

    1. Peanut Hamper*

      If they are, they should not look in the kitchens of any restaurants they like to eat at. Restaurant people are a tribe unto themselves and there are a lot of tattoos/piercings/smoking, etc.

  20. I'm just here for the cats!!*

    I can see where OP is coming from but unless there are other racial or socio-economic class things going on at the shop, i doubt that the owners mean it that way. I do think it is outdated to use those words without giving more detail.
    They just want someone who is clean looking, i.e hair trimmed or pulled back, clean hands and trimmed nails, showered, and well kept. Afterall the counter staff are the face of the store, similar to how a receptionist is the face of a hotel.

  21. Irish Teacher.*

    To me, “clean cut” generally seems to imply a certain type of person rather than a certain level of grooming. I suspect this ad did just mean grooming, but it isn’t the first thing that would come to mind for me. My association with a “clean cut young man,” which is usually how I’ve come across the term is somebody middle class, with the “right” accent, doesn’t drink, smoke, swear or use illegal drugs, possibly attends some type of religious service on a regular basis, is polite to his elders, got good grades in school, that sort of thing.

    Given the context here, I would guess they just mean “somebody who looks presentable and hygienic,” but I don’t think it was a great choice of term as it seems like a number of us have slightly differing associations with it. And it might make me wonder if they would be more likely to judge less conventional styles (goths, punks, etc) as “not presentable.”

    2. Catherine*

      I didn’t read it as necessarily racial but I’m so used to the word “clean-cut” being applied to men (in fact, I don’t remember the last time that I read it about a woman or NB person) that I’d absolutely think it was a flag for “women need not apply.”

  22. lost academic*

    I want the OP to find out if they really meant “clean shaven” and just used the wrong phrase because they either didn’t know the difference or were just struggling when writing the ad and went with something that seemed close enough. This is a butcher, after all.

    1. Meep*

      +1

      I hope it is just the example they used, but needing a clean cut butcher is funny to me. Not from, yes, sanitary is important, but the stereotypical description of a butcher is this brawny, hairy man with a cleaver.

  23. Happy*

    “I know I personally would feel uncomfortable applying there with “clean-cut” included, so I suspect others would also self-select out of applying.”

    Yes, that’s the point.

    1. not nice, don't care*

      Same with postings for ‘energetic’ people who are ‘low-drama’. You get to know what the euphemisms mean in job ads. They are usually red flags.

      1. possibly*

        I have an idea what energetic means. I’ve never seen low-drama in a job ad. What would it mean?

        2. Paint N Drip*

          If I saw that in an ad, I would assume they are seeking employees who:
          – ignore stuff going on that isn’t totally above-board
          – accept mistreatment from the problem manager/owner
          – don’t have any personal life or personal issues in any way

          I can imagine a crappy employer thinking that my medical emergency then months of physical therapy that I scheduled around work was drama, or that asking for the resources you need is drama, or trying to follow the laws/mandates of your industry is drama

        3. Global Cat Herder*

          An ad that says “low drama” tells you the company is full of bees, and they don’t want anyone who will do “dramatic” things like point to the bees, or ask when the bees will be removed, or even say ouch when the bees sting them.

          1. Boof*

            It does imply that they’ve clearly had some drama problems bad enough that it’s now a job requirement…

  24. KatePM*

    Wouldn’t some of these “clean-cut” characteristics fall under genetics? And how you can’t discriminate based on those features? E.g. POC’s natural hair texture, or height and weight of everyone?

    1. Tech Industry Refugee*

      I see no reason why a large bodied person, tall person, or person of color with a natural hairstyle couldn’t be clean cut.

      1. Dek*

        Because it’s a subjective term and there are people whose definition of “clean cut” specifically excludes “large bodied persons” or hair that doesn’t look sleek (and is very short, for men)

    2. Frosty*

      Likely the real problem here is that “clean cut” is not defined or is associated with different things to different people. It makes me think of a marine or “Biff” on Back to the Future or maybe Andy Griffith on the Andy Griffith Show – a flattop hair cut, collared shirt, white, middle class, 1950s etc.

      This idea isn’t necessarily “correct” but some people might think it – and then not apply! To me the term is a bit of a pejorative – which is why the hiring manager should use exactly what they want: no tattoos, no piercings, no non-natural hair dye etc. (or whatever it is they mean).

      1. Tech Industry Refugee*

        My suspicion from this overall comment section is that “clean cut” must have different meanings to different generations. It seems pretty split. I am in my early 30s and the phrase doesn’t make me think of the 50s or middle class at all; for me, it just conjures someone with a neat appearance.

        2. Grimalkin*

          And I’m also in my early 30s, and my mind went straight to it being a dogwhistle for excluding POC.

  25. sara*

    My first thought was that this could fall afoul of the law in jurisdictions with a version of the CROWN Act

  26. Frosty*

    I’d bet that they want to prohibit tattoos, piercing and non-natural hair dye but are afraid that by saying that they might get hit with discrimination accusations. To skirt that, they are saying “clean cut”. They definitely should say what they mean though, because people (like here in the comments) are making all sorts of different guesses as to what they mean, and they would self-select out, when they actually could be a perfect fit. Or have a skillset that is great and worth bending the rules on “no tattoos” (or whatever).

    The no tattoos/piercings/hair colour rules are really common in the service/retail industry and mostly pretty outdated.

    1. Frosty*

      yes exactly – I associate it with military, with buzz cuts and tucking in bed sheets and ironed pleated pants etc.

      I belong to a religious group that is anti-military so even that brief association to me sub-consciously would keep me from wanting to apply.

      It’s not a well defined term so it shouldn’t be used at all for hiring.

  28. TheBunny*

    I read clean cut differently. To me it means presentable enough gnat people aren’t concerned you are touching their food.

  29. JillianaJones*

    When you said ‘goth style’ all I could think was Abby on ‘NCIS’- I love her style and tow the line of work-appropriate goth myself, but I always wondered if some of the stuff she wore (lots of metal, platform boots) would have been a safety hazard in a lab setting.

  30. QTPOC*

    I would 100% read clean-cut as a dog whistle for racism.
    It might not be the intention but given that Britannica defines clean cut as “having a neat appearance that suggests you are someone who does not break rules or cause trouble” and that POC people are often assumed to be people who break rules and cause trouble, it makes me uncomfortable.

    1. Paint N Drip*

      Thanks for bringing in a real definition! I agree with your first sentence, and unfortunately also the second

  31. Worried I Misunderstood*

    Maybe this is my white privilege showing, but I read clean cut and thought no face/neck/hand tattoos or piercings anywhere in the face. And if I were a business owner of a food place, I’d say everyone’s hair has to be back from their face and behind shoulders so it won’t fall into food – either with a headband (short hair) or ponytail holder/scrunchie/clip, etc. If their hair texture is such that it will stay back without hair things, that’d be fine too.

  32. Sihaya*

    This is a butcher shop. They handle massive quantities of ground beef, use deli slicers, push meat through saws. I’d say it’s the last bastion of the “clean cut appearance” as a safety issue rather than an unspoken social code. If my hair was long, I’d show up with it tied up. I’d cut my nails short and wear only short piercings in my ears. My shirt would be fitted and nothing would hang loose. Thats just my impression. This ain’t advertising for an Abercrombie store, where the context of “clean cut” would absolutely be eyebrow-raising.

      1. Orv*

        That works if you’re a woman. If you’re a guy, probably not, because a “man bun” has a lot of cultural connotations.

        2. amoeba*

          Eh, a ponytail would be fine in that case though? (And it’s pretty much the default style for, like, 90% of the long-haired men at least in my country…)

        3. allathian*

          Would a plait work?

          That said, my understanding of clean-cut doesn’t include long hair on men. Long hair on people of any gender can absolutely be neat and tidy, though!

          1. Orv*

            Yeah, when I think “clean-cut” I imagine a “high and tight” haircut. Long-haired freaky people need not apply.

    2. DawnShadow*

      Thank you. I feel like a lot of people who are commenting are doing it from a purely theoretical standpoint, including OP. There are a LOT of safety and food cleanliness reasons behind the “cleancut” I would think. But my inlaws owned a small butcher shop for thirty years so I guess I have a unique point of view here.

  33. Cosmo*

    Maybe its the media I consumed but I wouldn’t use clean cut in a job add. I do read it as someone who either is looking for someone out of the 1950s or is out of date.

    I would think it would be much better to include in the job description something like “employees must maintain cleanliness standards necessary for food service including but not limited to no long nails, short hair or long haired up neatly and securely, clothing free from stains or rips, etc”

  34. Jl*

    To me, clean cut means young white male with a fresh haircut and smart business attire.

    so yeah, it’s discriminatory.

  35. RVA Cat*

    “Clean-cut” for men and “polished” for women in my mind imply “preppy upper-middle-class appearance”. It especially chaps my hide for low-paying positions – there’s a subtext they want somebody with family money so they can underpay them without exposing their clientele to The Poors.

    1. CommanderBanana*

      Ugh, yes, I’ve seen descriptions saying they want “polished” appearances, and for women, that means: styled hair, no grays, makeup, manicured nails, expensive clothing, jewelry, heels, etc. The bar is higher and way more expensive to have a “polished” appearance as a woman than as a man.

      The irony is that I do all of the above, but I still balk at the expectation that someone should have to to be perceived as professional. I work in an office, not at an aesthetician’s office, and spreadsheets don’t care if I have gray hair.

  36. BlueSwimmer*

    Just dropping in to say that my butcher for a few years had hot pink hair, many tattoos, and facial piercings. She was an excellent butcher who did the job while going to grad school for her doctorate. Jenny the butcher/landlord on Dead Boy Detectives reminds me of her.

  37. SunnyShine*

    I work in the food quality industry. Whole we didn’t use the term “clean cut”, all policies dictate that the person must be clean and well groomed. It’s a hygenic concern if someone shows up with holes in their clothes or unwashed. Especially when you work with raw meat. If they can’t take care of their personal appearance, they most likely won’t follow the work place hygenic rules either.

    And as someone with brightly colored hair, I assure you that goth and brightly colored hair are no where in the same category as being overweight or other protected statuses.

    1. Happy*

      I don’t understand. If someone has a hole in the sleeve of their shirt, how is that a hygiene problem?

      1. SunnyShine*

        Hygiene in food safety means anything that can cause a potential microbiological problem. Depending where the hole is, it exposes parts of the body that aren’t easily washed at work. This is a standard for all food manufacturers.

        Also, it prevents foreign material from getting into the food. Usually holes means loose threads which can get into food.

      2. DramaQ*

        Loose thread can get into product is the big one. You can’t wear ripped jeans either for the same reason.

        Also a safety issue holes can get caught on stuff and you DO NOT want to get sucked into a machine.

        It’s also why you can’t wear ties, necklaces, scarves or any loose jewelry when working with food.

  38. AbbieJoy*

    I own a small food business. I run my business out of a commissary kitchen, so there are all types of businesses in there.

    I don’t know this butcher, but in the context of food service as I know it – I think this just means clean and in clean clothes with a hairstyle that can be put back or is short enough to not require that. This is a client-facing role, which is different from many (most?) food service jobs, so people coming in will judge the business based on the cleanliness of the staff.

    I see folks in the commissary kitchen who look like they have not showered in recent memory, wear clothing that is stained/dirty and otherwise have personal hygiene that would make me think twice about eating their food. I would not assume this means anything about race, gender, weight, or needing to be cis presenting.

    1. learnedthehardway*

      Agreeing – this is a butcher shop. They want their staff to look like they are freshly sanitized, because that supports their business objective to BE hygienic and to LOOK like they take food safety seriously.

      My kids both did food safety certification courses in preparation for part time jobs, and the rules are very explicit that hair needs to be tied back (if long) and covered, beards need to be covered, hands need to be washed at very regular intervals, clothing should be clean, etc. etc.

      If you walked into a butcher shop and saw someone with dirty fingernails or hair flying everywhere, you’d be squicked out, and the business wants to avoid that sort of thing by making it a job requirement to be neat and clean. They’d do better to spell that out clearly, rather than relying on a phrase that is more open to interpretation, but it probably hasn’t occurred to them and/or their ad was placed by an owner/operator who has been working for 40 years and is using yesteryear’s phrasing.

    2. Reading Rainbow*

      I agree. The nature of the business puts a different spin on this– the people at the front have to look literally clean to indicate that the establishment itself is sanitary.

  39. Angeldrac*

    Ew. Nah – this has the same connotations for me as “bubbly personality”. It may be legal and “acceptable” but it also feels red-flaggy.

  40. CHRISTOPHER FRANKLIN*

    I live in the San Francisco Bay Area near an very nice butcher shop called the The Local Butcher Shop in Berkeley where the butchers often sport tattoos, probably long hair under their caps, and are very well trained professionals. If I saw an job listing asking for someone ask for “clean cut” employee, I would assume that it was coding for a young middle class white man.

  41. Moose*

    OP have you considered that the butcher shop near you asking for a “clean-cut” appearance is actually just someone trying to make a joke in their job ad so that it gets more engagement?

    Because honestly I think it’s funny and it’s the type of thing I would do.

  42. Filofaxes*

    Disney World and Disney Land park employees (“cast members”) probably have the strictest “clean cut” appearance guidelines around today and last time I was there (2023), there were POC cast members, not-skinny cast members, “goth-lite” cast members, etc. And I think WDW and DL have even relaxed their earlier rules about facial hair for men—before it was “never ever!” and now it might be “within reason and neatly trimmed.” The same MIGHT also apply to tattoos. But don’t quote me on that, I’m too lazy to look it up.

    Now there is still a lot to criticize about Disney’s employment practices as far as the parks specifically in terms of pay, guest entitlement, etc. But like, I really don’t see where “clean cut” is somehow translating to “Kate Moss and Chris Hemsworth Lookalikes only please” for some random butcher shop in Tumbleeweed, New Jersey. That the LW is not even going to apply to but just wrote in about so they could have performative SJW cred. Yay, I guess? Other people have wars in their countries, Kim.

    1. Florence Reece*

      Small correction: Disney World and Disney Land park employees (“cast members”) probably have the strictest style guide around today. Their job advertisements say you must comply with the “Disney Look” and then they link to a 20-page document outlining very, very, very exactly what the “Disney Look” is. There’s not a single instance of “clean cut” in their ads or in their style guide — there are a lot of instances of “clean” with an expansion of what that means for that particular article (hair, clothing, jewelry.

      There’s a lot to criticize about Disney separate from that! But like, I really don’t see how a well-defined style guide which is communicated upfront is in any way comparable to a vague “clean cut [your guess is as good as ours idk lol].” The vagueness is why people are concerned here; that’s a very easy excuse to pull if you, consciously or not, *do* want exclusively Kate Moss and Chris Hemsworth-types. If they had any other context for that phrase, it would be fine. It might still be fine! But it sends up a red flag.

      Being concerned that your butcher might be discriminating against parts of your community isn’t “performative SJW cred”. This reaction does seem a bit performative, though. People are dying, Kim.

  43. Formerly Retailed*

    Clean-cut to me reads as “The Disney Look” of the 1990s; a certain weight, natural hair colors, clean shaven, plain hair accessories to keep it pulled back, no eyeshadow, no “wild” nail polish colors, heavy emphasis on “All-American” looks, i.e. young, thin, white people in their late teens and early 20s who read as upper-middle class.

    1. anonymous wireframe*

      A friend of mine had an internship at Disney World in college in the 90s. I got to peek at the employee handbook. They had literal diagrams of the kinds of hairstyles you could have, and it was extremely gendered. I felt like I was reading an artifact from some kind of dystopian video game!

  44. Honoria Lucasta*

    In contrast to some other commenters, I think the “clean-cut” requirement is defensible on grounds other than hygiene: it may very well be part of the business’s aesthetic branding choice to have a vaguely throwback brand, and as long as their standards for that don’t extend to discriminating based on actual protected categories (like race, gender, etc) then it’s fine for them to say the style they’re looking for. And saying “clean-cut” gives them more latitude to weigh the overall balance of different elements. Listing explicitly “natural hair colors, no visible tattoos, no piercings” invites nit-picky enforcement of standards, where giving the general goal that implies “we want you to look clean and style yourself in a more conservative/traditional manner” allows your manager a little discretion on any individual point.

    1. CHRISTOPHER FRANKLIN*

      Ironically, that is my issue… what if the business’s aesthetic branding choice to have a vaguely throwback brand involves having only men as customer facing? It say that outright is illegal but “clean cut” is pretty much never used in regards to women much like “demure” is almost never used for men so there is a subtle communication that you want a man for the role. It reminds me of the term “articulate” which is rarely used in terms of white men but is often used somewhat pejoratively with black men.

    2. judyjudyjudy*

      This entire discussion thread demonstrates how confusing this term is, and how it might drive good applicants away. I think “natural hair colors, no visible tattoos, no piercings” is a much clearer description of what they want.

      “Clean cut” is exactly the type of employees Abercrombie & Fitch wanted, and used the idea of branding to exclude people of color, fat people, disabled people, etc from nearly every level of employment in their stores (except for stock taking in the back). It’s not surprising that some people would interpret “clean cut” to mean a certain desirable, middle-class, conventionally-attractive whiteness. And that sucks.

  45. lilsheba*

    Oh for christs sake can we stop with the appearances thing already. Who cares whether someone has piercings or tattoos or long hair or facial hair or whatever as long as they are clean, a pleasant person and can do that damn job.

    1. amoeba*

      I think it definitely all hinges on whether somebody with all of those would still be considered clean-cut or not, as long as they wear clean clothes without holes, their facial hair is trimmed, the hair is tied back or otherwise under control, they have clean fingernails, etc.

      In my world, they would absolutely be – but of course we have no idea how the butcher intended their statement, so it’s all a bit hypothetical. (If they were writing in, it would definitely make sense to tell them to avoid the phrasing as obviously it can be interpreted in wildly different ways!)

  46. New Senior Mgr*

    Front staff at a butcher shop, I’d prefer to see a clean-cut person as well.

    But I can see where you’re coming from because it can open the door to stereotyping and discrimination.

  48. Seashell*

    When I was a teenager in the last century, my friend & I were trying to get a summer job at the same retail establishment. They hired me, but not her.

    During the training, I figured out why. The dress code involved one earring per ear, no dyed hair in a color not found in nature, and no unusual haircuts. My friend had a long braided “rat tail” and multiple earrings in each ear. I had 2 piercings in one ear, but I didn’t always wear 2 at a time and, even if I did, the 2nd was usually small.

  49. Yup*

    And the sign said
    “Long-haired freaky people
    Need not apply”
    So I tucked my hair up under my hat
    And I went in to ask him why
    He said, “You look like a fine upstandin’ young man
    I think you’ll do”
    So I took off my hat and said, “Imagine that
    Huh, me workin’ for you”
    Whoa

    2. Kalidan*

      Plenty of man buns out there, and accepted, so what’s the point with those lyrics?

      People can have long hair, any color, as long as it’s put up so it doesn’t fall into food.

  50. Modesty Poncho*

    I don’t think I’ve seen “clean-cut” in my lifetime outside of Disneyland, and even they have come around to allowing tattoos and non-red nail polish. That’s what it conjures for me – an extremely specific look with long hair on women, short hair on men, no unnatural colors, only certain colors of polish and lipstick, no tattoos, no nonconforming gender expression.

    At best, it’s just a confusing term that doesn’t communicate clearly. By some peoples’ definitions here (clean and neat, hair pulled back, put together) my pink hair can be clean-cut. By other definitions it can’t be.

  51. Sparrow*

    As a trans person, I always get really nervous around job descriptions with phrasing like “clean cut appearance”, or any kind of strict dress code that bans things like dyed hair, piercings, tattoos, etc. My thought is always “This is a workplace that cannot abide even minor deviations from the norm, so how are they gonna handle the fact that my visibly trans self is a major deviation from the norm?” Thus far, every time I have attempted to apply at a place like this regardless, the answer has turned out to be “They do not handle it very well”.

    So I’m not saying that every business that uses phrasing like this or that bans dyed hair/piercings/tattoos/etc has explicitly anti-queer motivations… but I am saying that in my experience, they do very often go hand-in-hand, at least enough that I now tend to avoid any job posting that uses language like that. I am not someone who can pass as cis ever—the fact that I have both facial hair and visible breasts is usually the first indicator, even before we get into the fact that I use he/him pronouns and also enjoy wearing dresses—and for safety reasons, I am not particularly keen on showing up for an interview somewhere where I’ve gotten indications that people might not be cool with any of that.

    1. Sparrow*

      (Also, just want to make a quick point of clarification before someone takes this the wrong way: my comment about “visible breasts” obviously does not mean that I’m showing up to job interviews topless or anything, just that I have a large enough chest that it is pretty obvious my chest isn’t flat regardless of what I’m wearing.)

      1. Yup*

        Thank you for sharing that. “Clean cut” really feels like shorthand for “I better not be uncomfortable around you and your appearance.” Most people show up to work clean and presentable. No one needs to add this to a job posting. It’s what’s unwritten here that rings bells.

  52. LingNerd*

    I read “clean cut” as “look like you’ve showered recently and dress in a way that is not off-putting to customers.” But I can see where that would get into discrimination really quickly. Especially because what counts as off-putting to customers depends very heavily on where you are. It would be much better to specify – something like “must follow dress code, including covering all tattoos and having a clean shaven face.” Or whatever it is they mean

  53. DJ Abbott*

    Having grown up in the midwest in the 1960s-70s, I understand the meaning of clean cut. To me, it means someone who looks neat and clean and is not going to have a lot of hair getting in the food.
    It makes perfect sense that a food establishment would want people who look neat and clean working with and serving the food. I’m surprised they don’t do hats or hairnets though. Do they use gloves?
    Other commenters are probably right that they should spell it out more.

    1. DawnShadow*

      I still live in the Midwest and here you only have to use hairnets or pull your hair back if it’s a certain length. Beardnets are a thing too if your beard is long enough. But food workers with short hair just go about their day as usual. I’m wondering if this cleancut requirement is so that they don’t have to start investing in hairnets for people to use. If they’re a small enough business everything gets taken into account for paring down the budget.

      I doordash and I also see a lot of food workers without gloves. I think it’s still more of a wash-your-hands thing here, at least in my town.

  54. Amyll*

    In my world, would Disney hire you? I was also raised on Marine bases in the 1960’s-1970’s so the wording did not faze me at all.

  55. Angel S.*

    When I was a kid, I would see this a lot in Mexico. One of the requirements was to have a “good presence”. They never mentioned appearance, but it was implied. My cousin’s husband owns an aesthetics clinic and one day they posted a help wanted ad on Facebook. Sure enough, “good presence”! At least I’m glad to hear that they have relaxed the age requirements!

  56. H.Regalis*

    They can put that in their ads as much as they want, but a lot of clerk and food service jobs pay abominably, so they’re going to have to take what they can get as far as an applicant pool and a lot of people have tattoos and piercings.

  57. dfdsvga*

    Personally, I think that natural Black hairstyles can qualify as clean cut (maybe it’s because I am Black): what’s neater than braids or corn rows? A fro is not messy either: it just has volume. Hair biases exist, but I did not think that this was an attempt at implying that they were at all inappropriate. Clean cut means being clean, having one’s clothes ironed and or tucked in and hair secured, neat beard (if applicable). It also does not refer to piercings or tattoos. I worked with a well dressed gentlemen at my last office who had both and was clean cut/professional/appropriate.

  58. Anita*

    Where I live I would read “clean-cut” and assume they wanted a certain type of white man. If they wrote “clean and tidy” I wouldn’t see a gender, ethnicity or political/cultural expectation.

  59. nnn*

    I’ve been thinking about this question, because it elicited the visceral red flag feeling that I couldn’t immediately articulate.

    And, after further thought, I think what’s eliciting the red flag feeling in me is the fact that they value “clean cut” enough to put it in their job ad.

    Growing up (as a white girl in a small town in the 80s), “clean cut” was a description used for athletic white boys and young men by people who valued this combination of athleticness and whiteness and masculinity. The “clean cut” descriptor would come with a certain amount of social capital and unearned credibility that wouldn’t be available to other demographics. (Not to non-athletic white boys, not to athletic non-white boys, not to athletic white girls, not to any other demographics.)

    In practical terms, this mean that adults who even thought to describe someone as “clean cut” were the kind of adults who wouldn’t believe that Chris from the baseball team was the one who brought drugs to the party, or would tell you you’re overreacting when you don’t want to go somewhere alone in a car with him. “That nice clean-cut young man? I don’t believe it! He called me Sir and everything!”

    The people who valued “clean cut” would be the first to tell you that it’s not race-specific and perhaps not even gender-specific, but, somehow, they just never ended up encountering someone who met the standard who wasn’t an athletic white boy. And, somehow, they just never ended up encountering someone of any other demographic whom they’d give the benefit of the doubt over an athletic white boy.

    So my cumulative life experience is that the fact that they value “clean cut” enough to make it a job requirement is cause for wariness.

  60. BW*

    Walt Disney World used to have some of the most stringent “clean cut” rules I’d ever seen. One earring per ear, and no hoops or dangles, for women. No earrings for men. No tattoos. No artificially colored hair, even if it’s a natural color. No bracelets. Only one ring per hand unless it’s a wedding set. Must wear skirts and pantyhose. Men must have short hair and no facial hair. It went on and on. They’ve relaxed little bit. Men can now have mustaches.

  61. PoePuck*

    To the OP – I am assuming you aren’t looking for a job at this butcher shop, and if you are willing to expend a little personal capital, why don’t you just ask the next time you go in? I wouldn’t say it exactly like you put it here, but something like “hey, butcher manager, I noticed in your job postings on Facebook you list “clean cut” as a required attribute – it’s a little unclear to me what that means and I bet to others as well! Would you consider using more specific language in your next post to help clarify?” And see what they say! Maybe it just means “follow food safety guidelines” OR maybe it is code for something more suspicious.

  62. Lurky McLurkerson*

    This is wholly unhelpful to the question itself, but it speaks to the vagueness of a term like “clean cut” – when I saw it, and then saw it was a butcher, I went “well that makes it make some sense, I think facial hair is pretty much a no-no in most food prep roles anyway” – which was 100% NOT the read LW got. I don’t love the term, though, and I can see where the LW got their read as well.

    I definitely don’t think any kind of appearance-based criteria belong in a job description for anything short of an acting gig.

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