PA Photographer refuses to take senior pics for bullies

[Kimberlyd125]

I'm not arguing that for sure.

I was just wondering if it was legal.

Thinking legally, I would think the customers are the parents and the subjects of the photos are minors.

Just thinking out loud.

 

[raeann]

Yes, I am aware of the thread and the case. Let me try to clear up the difference. It is illegal to discriminate against a "protected class", i.e. refuse service solely on the basis of one's gender, race, religion, ethnicity, sex, sexuality, etc.

Bullies are not a protected class. They are just bullies. It is 100% legal to refuse service to them and in my non-legal opinion, almost everyone in America would agree that it is wholly just to do so.

ITA....refusal of this service is no different than a bar refusing to serve someone who is already behaving in an angry or aggressive manor toward other patrons.

 

[gitana1]

I'm not arguing that for sure.

I was just wondering if it was legal.

Thinking legally, I would think the customers are the parents and the subjects of the photos are minors.

Just thinking out loud.

No, I guarantee you, it is perfectly legal to deny a person service unless the reason for the denial is discrimination of a protected class. Parents of bullies aren't a protected class either, so this photographer is good to go. And I say good for her!

I really hope the parents of these girls deal with this in an effective manner. If one of my kids did something so ugly and vicious, some kind of "beating" would likely occur at my house and I don't even believe in hitting kids! LOL.

In reality, I would be so upset, ashamed and disappointed. I was the target of bullies and was taught how to fight back. I have often thought about how to help my own kids deal with bullies. I have never given much thought to what I would do if they were the aggressor!

I would probably take every privilege known to man away from them, force them to "volunteer" at some sort of charity, have them dig some holes they can later fill up, and have them write abject letters of apology to the kids who were targeted, including how they now know why such bullying is wrong and how ashamed they now feel.

This is the chance their parents have to instill character in their kids. It's the most important thing a parent can do besides just loving them to death!

 

[Truthful Lies]

I'll add my two cents here...and I'm a photographer that has shot pro athletes, etc., for ads and promo stuff. I applaud her for refusing. It IS important to know about the subject you're shooting. If you don't know what you're trying to capture, it's much harder. The client needs to feel comfortable expressing themselves or the shoot will be a bust, mostly.

I have a session with clients beforehand, to get to know them and what they're trying to convey, along with running over everything they need to know. If this photographer met them beforehand, and didn't like their vibe, I see why she looked at their FB pages. Maybe she is a "sleuth" like us and wanted to know more. I'm also careful about what/who I shoot because my name will be on there - and I don't want it muddied. Perhaps the photog felt if she shot these girls, the other parents wouldn't want the same photog to do their daughter's pics, too.

I don't shoot people I'm not interested in/don't like for whatever reason I deem good enough. Photography (to me) is capturing a fleeting moment in history (history major here...hah) and I don't pick up my camera if someone rubs me the wrong way. Oh well.

I promise to look into any teen girls I shoot (I'm a girl, btw and former model so I know how uncomfie it is to sit there!) and refuse to do so if I even sense they are "mean girls".

xoxo

ETA: I do understand this woman is a "working photographer", whereas I'm lucky to be able to pick and choose what I want to shoot (don't do it full time). So, I applaud her even more - it's a hard business.