09-17-2024
The Noguchi Museum fired three of its employees for wearing kaffiyehs. The Noguchi Museum, located in Queens, New York, exhibits the art of sculptor Isamu Noguchi and other artists connected to him or his art.
In August, the Museum implemented a new policy prohibiting its employees from wearing clothing or accessories expressing "political messages, slogans or symbols" during work hours. Several of the museum employees had been wearing kaffiyehs for many months. Many Palestinians wear a black and white kaffiyeh as a symbol of their hope for independence and the fight for that goal. The Museum said they understood the kaffiyeh to express the employees' personal views. However, the Museum "recognize[d] that such expressions can unintentionally alienate segments of our diverse visitorship." It asserted that it wanted to maintain a "safe, inclusive and welcoming environment for all staff and visitors." Thus, the Museum precluded all political statements in the workplace.
One of the fired employees spoke to the New York Times and said she believed the Museum was using the word “political” to allow it to “censor Palestinian culture and existence.” She remarked that the kaffiyeh is a cultural garment, and she wears it for that reason. The Museum confirmed it fired employees for dress code violations to the NYT. The Museum also fired its director of visitor services because it had "lost faith in his ability to manage staff," which the director believes is related to the dress code enforcement. Fifty staff members, comprising around two-thirds of the Museum's workforce, signed a petition opposing the firings. They interpret the Museum's actions as a public comment on the war in Gaza.