If you’re a woman who does DIY projects, there’s nothing more infuriating than encountering unwanted gender biases from sexist men while buying supplies. This is the attitude one woman allegedly experienced at Home Depot about paint that boiled her blood.
New York City-based TikToker Claire (@clairedoesitherself) describes herself as a “girl does it herself” in her bio. And painting is no exception.
“Girls, I was at Home Depot yesterday cause obviously,” she says, panning the background of her half-painted walls. Then, she dives into her story to over 38,000 viewers.
What happened at Home Depot?
While she was there, she asked a male employee for a gray paint sample, holding the swatch as an example. His response?
“‘You know, you can just hold the sample up to the wall, right? You can take that home for free,’” she recalls him saying. “‘And a sample is $8.”
However, she knew this information was incorrect and how much paint she needed.
“‘I think the samples are $6.50. I’d like to use a bigger area than this inch by inch and a half swatch,’” the content creator recounts her reply.
To prove it, she unveils the incomplete walls she is painting. “I think I was perhaps right about that idea and perspective on both counts,” she says sarcastically. “But what do I know? I’m just a girl.”
‘It’s insane how many of them are like that’
Since Home Depot is a home improvement store and a male-dominated environment, there are gender assumptions toward women who partake in these activities. As it turned out, customers and associates have had similar negative encounters with male Home Depot workers.
“I can’t go to Home Depot anymore. I get in too many fights,” one viewer commented.
“They just have to find some way. Any way, to argue. It’s exhausting,” another noted.
“I had a man at Home Depot INSIST a specific drill bit attachment didn’t exist. He had to [get] his manager. We found it,” a third shared.
“As an HD worker, it happens to associates too. Like, I’ve been there 5 years. I think ik what I’m doing. Please stop seeking out my male coworkers cause THEY’RE GONNA ASK ME ANYWAYS,” a fourth stated.
“As someone who works there, it’s insane how many of them are like that. Like, I am begging you to help the customer without being a prick. It is not that difficult,” a fifth said.
More Home Depot ‘sexist’ claims
In addition to workers and customers exhibiting these biased behaviors, the retailer itself has faced legal cases over this.
In 1997, Home Depot settled a gender discrimination lawsuit. The suit accused the company of paying women less, forcing them into certain job positions, denying them training, and refusing to promote them into managerial roles, per Deseret News.
As part of the settlement, the company allocated $65 million to female workers and applicants in 10 states, along with $22.5 million in legal fees. The outlet notes the home improvement corporation spent $17 million to settle three individual cases in Louisiana and New Jersey.
But it doesn’t stop there. In 2015, Home Depot faced another gender discrimination lawsuit. This time, it was at a Pomona, CA, store where the claims were eerily similar to the 1997 one. According to CBS, the location refused to hire qualified women or placed them in cashier positions instead of sales associate positions. Subsequently, they paid $83,000 to the 46 women affected.
@clairedoesitherself
Subplot reached out to Grace via email and TikTok comment as well as Home Depot via media relations email.
