Life is a Cabaret, Old Chum

(So I don't like to post about work. But this ties in to other themes I usually write about and rant about in person, so I think it's okay. Names and organizations omitted for maximum Fourth Amendment privacy.)

It's always a lovely surprise to get called into your Executive Director's office and asked why you think this image is inappropriate on a goodbye card for a Muslim, Saudi/Indian co-worker who is leaving to attend graduate school in an Arabic language program:

I have a feeling I was asked my opinion because
1) the outgoing coworker is a very good friend of mine;
2) I wrote "No comment" instead of a goodbye message in the card;
3) my job description theoretically includes being a liaison to Arab and Muslim communities (although that's technically irrelevant);
and 4) I was pretty blunt about almost refusing to sign the card.

Supposedly it's an appropriate card because the employee is leaving for an Arabic language program. But the dozen other employees that left for grad school didn't get specialized goodbye cards for the programs. And I know in my gut if I left to start the same language program, I wouldn't get that card --I'd get the same card everybody gets when they leave: a group of cartoon figures waving, and "We'll miss you" on the inside. Or some other generic Hallmark creation.

Cuz if I were in charge of getting the card for this particular employee, the cover would've had Orlando Bloom half-naked, biting a rose stem. Based of course, on many conversations with the individual.

But I guess it's just easier to pigeonhole people and not see past the headscarf.