What started as a typical workday for this Banana Republic employee quickly turned into the work day no one wants to have. Destiny Tompkins, 19, was suspended in early October for wearing box braids which were allegedly called "too urban." Now, Tompkins is suing Banana Republic for $1 million.
Tompkins, an African American woman, is suing in a discrimination lawsuit after claims that her manager, who is a white American, told her that the box braid hairstyle she sported was “unkempt” as it pertained to the company image. It is said that the manager stated that he would not schedule Tompkins until she took them out.
so today I went into work at Banana Republic at the Westchester Mall and after the district manager (a white woman)…Posted by Destiny Tompkins on Wednesday, October 4, 2017
Tompkins shared the encounter with her Facebook page and people quickly gravitated to the post making it go viral. According to NY Daily News, Banana Republic fired the manager from the Westchester Mall location in White Plains, New York. The regional manager, who'd visited the store just prior to Tompkins' suspension, faced zero consequence.
Gap, Inc., the parent company to Banana Republic, along with Michael Gennis, former store manager, and Jill Matejunas, regional manager, are also listed in the lawsuit filed by the Supreme Court in Manhattan on Monday.
Banana Republic reported to the Daily News that they wouldn't “comment on pending litigation,” but ensured that the company holds a zero tolerance policy for discrimination and harassment.
