The non-binary barber fighting for change after being refused a haircut

A non-binary barber says they are ready to tear up the hair industry's rulebook after their own experiences with discrimination. Keri Blue is determined to change the way Manchester’s trans and non-binary community get a haircut.

About ten years ago, they were living in Brighton and tried to get a haircut at a local barbers. Keri, who uses they/them pronouns, asked a member of staff if they could get a skin fade and was refused service. Keri said the experience still stays with them today.

“I’ll never get over being refused a haircut,” Keri, originally from West London, tells the M.E.N. “All I wanted was a skin fade - it’s something that any man could have. They said they couldn’t cut a female's hair because they weren’t insured to do so. But there is actually no such thing as being insured to cut women’s hair.”

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Keri, who identified as female at the time, said the experience made them feel embarrassed and upset. They explain: “It made me feel like s***, to be honest.

“I was really upset and gutted about the whole situation. Once you put a gown on someone, why should it matter what’s between your legs and why should it decipher how people cut your hair?”

Ten years after Keri’s experience, it’s sadly something that many trans and non-binary people still go through. Earlier this year, transgender man James was refused service at a Bolton barber shop. James said the experience made him feel 'ashamed of his body' after the barber said they were 'only qualified for men's haircuts'.

“After what I experienced, I never wanted anyone to have to go through that again,” Keri said. “I learnt to be a barber