Brisbane resident Vivien Houston, 33, was recently denied a haircut at Jimmy Rod's Barber Shop in The Gap Village Shopping Centre.
However, it's not the denial itself, but the reason behind it that caused the woman's indignation and prompted her to file a complaint with the Queensland Anti-Discrimination Commission.
"I walked in and one of the barbers at the shop stopped me and I thought she was going to say they had too many people in line and wouldn't be able to fit me in before closing, but she actually said I can't serve you because you're a woman," she was quoted by ABC news as saying.
READ MORE: Pink or Blue? German Watchdog Says Women Pay for Goods, Services More Than Men
At first, the woman thought it was a joke, but when the shop's management explained to her that the gender-related policy was a part of the shop's lease agreement with the shopping center, she opted for decisive action.
Commenting on the incident, the shop's managing director James O'Brien admitted that his business is not allowed to serve women as its lease deal provides for the shop not to compete against women's hairdressers and added that his "hands are tied."
"We are exclusively only to cut men's hair due to three other hairdressers being in the centre, and if we do cut women's hair there, we will be breached and it could cause our lease to get cancelled," he said.
The shop owner added that he would contact legal experts to clarify his next steps. Possible legal consequences in the case so far remain unclear.
