A woman who accused the Disney Co. of discrimination for refusing to let her wear a Muslim head scarf at work is refusing to wear a specially designed hat instead.
Imane Boudlal, who's a restaurant hostess at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, says Disney's suggested hat-and-bonnet is embarrassing and makes a joke of her religion.
She has gone home without pay seven times rather than remove her hijab or accept jobs away from customers.
Union officials say Boudlal is being discriminated against.
"What Disney is doing by not allowing Imane to wear her hijab is immoral," said Ada Briceno of Unite Here, Local 11.
"I'm not here to scare anybody. I'm just here to wear my headscarf and work and keep my job. I don't want to be in the back. I'm a human being. I have feelings," said the Anaheim woman.
Disney spokeswoman Suzi Brown says the head covering accommodates both Boudlal's beliefs and Disney costuming guidelines. She says it was one of several options Disney made after Boudlal requested alterations to her approved apparel.
Boudlal says she wants to keep working at the happiest place on earth, so she will keep showing up for work.
"You can take whatever you want from me: my work, my job, my car, my house, whatever you want. But you will never take who I am: my culture, my religion -- no way," she said.
