Curvy Woman Says Hooters-Like Pub Didn't Hire Her Because Plaid Bra, Kilt Wouldn't Fit

One woman claims she was not hired at a Texas pub because of her weight.

Sarah Brady of Houston, Texas, applied for a bartending job at a new Tilted Kilt location opening in League City. She claims that after she was called in for an interview at the Celtic-themed sports pub — that is known for its scantily clad female servers — the restaurant turned her away upon arrival, without an interview. Brady believes it was because of her appearance.

“When I got there they had me fill out an application and had me sit there for 30 minutes,” she tells Yahoo Style. “They were taking a girl back to interview and had another girl that also interviewed, who was back there for around 20 minutes. Then they brought me back, had me sit down, and the first thing they said was, ‘Thank you for coming in and applying, but we’ve already filled all the positions with more experienced candidates.’ That was it.”

Disappointed to not have the opportunity to interview with the employer, she asked a member of the management at the front of the restaurant for more clarity.

“I walked out, and I asked the girl in the front, ‘Is the reason I’m not getting this job because I’m plus-sized?’ She paused and said, ‘Well, even I didn’t get the Tilted Kilt Girl [job] because I don’t fit the costume. I don’t fit what they’re looking for.’ Not saying anything about experience or qualifications — that’s what she said.”

Brady also claims that another staff member told the group of applicants upon arrival that the sports pub was looking to hire 30 to 40 people for the entire store. She says that even after she was turned away, Brady believes four other women she was waiting with were then interviewed.

She insists that she should’ve been interviewed based on her qualifications. “I understand that they have an image that they want to present and that they want to show, but if I have the confidence to go in and try to get an interview and try to get the job — knowing what the costume is — then there’s no reason that it should be an issue,” Brady shares.

In a Facebook post, Brady expressed her outrage at the incident and clarified a comment she made during an interview with KPRC.

“Boom. Let the hate mail and fat shaming start,” she wrote in the Facebook post. “The sound bite of ‘real women’ — I was talking about the women in the ads. We all know they are photoshopped. I am sorry if I was not clear enough with my thoughts on that. But they got a great sound bite from it. I feel if you think/believe you are a women, you are — regardless of your size. If you are cis or trans, you are a women, and you should own your body. Every body is important.”

While Brady’s post was met with many supporters, it was also met with comments from users who didn’t agree with her decision to apply to the sports bar.

On the comments, Brady wasn’t surprised.

“I knew that it was going to happen,” she shares with Yahoo Style. “I knew that I was going to get a lot of inappropriate things said to me. I made the post public because I would rather have them post publicly where everyone can see it than inbox me privately. They’re just perpetuating the standard that magazines and advertising have of Photoshopped women.”

The Titled Kilt is known for employing slim, fit women, and many commenters felt Brady did not fit the profile. The sports pub often posts photos of its servers on its Instagram channel.

On the women typically employed in bartending and server positions at the eatery, Brady shared, “All women are beautiful, and I understand that some people naturally have the metabolism to stay that small — and some people don’t. I personally will never be that small. Even when I was at the height of my eating disorder — where I was eating probably four times a week — I still probably wouldn’t fit into the costume because my hips were too big and I wasn’t busty enough. Because I am a pear shape. When my eating disorder was really the worst, I was still a pear shape. So if you can naturally be that shape, that’s awesome. But there’s a lot of the population who aren’t like that.”

Brady says she wants to bring attention to the incident because of the way she feels she was treated.

“How they handled the situation was really inappropriate,” she tells Yahoo Style. “It’s disgusting that they wouldn’t give me the same opportunities. They could’ve done my interview and made me think I was getting the job — and I would’ve been none the wiser. But they said we’ve filled all the positions and then interviewed four girls after me.”

Tilted Kilt representative Gregory Smith provided the following statement to Yahoo Style on not hiring Brady:

“Our hiring and employment practices are in full compliance with all laws. Kilt Girls are the cornerstone of our brand. We specifically cast for entertainers, not just servers. When hiring, we seek entertainer-servers who not only fit the costume, but exemplify a personality and skillset that is friendly, courteous and customer-oriented. Based on these qualifications and Sarah Brady’s lack of experience in the restaurant service industry, we hired the most qualified applicants and she was not offered the position.”

The company also claims Brady’s resume does not reflect any food service experience.

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