Employer denied me the job for being too Hippieish
Some context:
I’m pretty laidback, my voice is deep monotone (relevant according to peers), and I’m not always the neatest. I am also a student at a PWI in an area with a little exposure to us.
A bit ago I applied to a fast food job referred by a friend which I did not receive for a pretty particular reason as is revealed by the title.
According to my friend (non-indig), this is entirely to do with my presentation given I did have pretty stale braids in and I was 3 minutes late. However, I think its plausible that some things I discussed in the interview may have had a sway in what the GM said.
Like I was asked about what I do outside of my classes to which I replied I am in elected positions for the Native Cultural organization on our campus as well as heavily involved in service including seed-saving for tribes, language revitalization, and why they are important.
It is generally my real-lived experience that people do internalize stereotypes that anything to do with any indigenous culture, especially if relationship to land is brought up, is just tree-hugging hippie bullshit (especially given but not solely due to cultural appropriation by “hippies”)
My friend believes that since the GM did not explicitly say it, it must not be the case that what I discussed had anything to do with it. I think though that if the GM had said that then it would lowkey be a fucking crime so like ofc they wouldn’t admit it and that they don’t even have to be conscious of it for it to be a thing. Furthermore, if it was solely about my presentation and punctuality it just seems that unprofessional or sloppy would make a lot more sense.
I want to disclaim that I don’t think the GM is some monster nor is it the case that my friend is a terribly ignorant person. Furthermore, it sucks i didnt get the job, but in general I am not passionately disheartened by not being hired or the comment itself, I just have my reading of why she said it to which my friend was upset I suggested such a thing.
I worry now I could be reading too much into it, please let me know if I’m being unreasonable. This disagreement has driven a wedge in our relationship.