There’s nothing worse than judging someone solely based on their appearance. You’d hope that this kind of bullying wouldn’t carry over into the workplace, but sometimes it does.
A Florida woman recently took to TikTok to share the painful experience she’s been dealing with. While she works as a substitute teacher during the day, she also holds an overnight part-time job at a hotel. Instead of valuing her work ethic and the way she treats guests, the hotel chose to focus on her appearance.
She explained that she’s missing a few teeth, something she’s been open about, yet she’s still a beautiful person inside and out. Anyone who looks through her classroom videos can see her passion for teaching and how seriously she takes her job. But despite her dedication, she found herself judged not for her performance, but for something entirely unrelated to her ability to work.
In her emotional TikTok video, the Florida woman revealed that the hotel tried to let her go on just her second day. Their reason? They didn’t like the fact that she was missing a few teeth. She explained that she had originally been scheduled to work from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m., but management moved her to the overnight audit shift so fewer people would see her. If that’s how they felt about her appearance, she questioned, why hire her at all?
What made the situation even more heartbreaking was the hotel’s reported plan moving forward. Because they can’t fire her without valid cause, she said they’re now trying to collect three write-ups so they can terminate her. She admitted she isn’t sure what to do next, especially after just securing a new apartment.
Throughout the video, she paused repeatedly, still stunned by how she was being treated. She said she was considering quitting because she doesn’t want to work for people who view her this way. “It’s not my work ethics. It’s my exterior,” she said through tears. “My feelings are hurt.”
In her caption, she added, “My spirit is bothered, I don’t even know how to go forward or what to actually do. I’m going to pray about it and I ask that y’all pray for me.”
Hopefully, she finds a workplace that sees her worth and appreciates her for who she truly is.
People Reacting to the Florida Woman’s Painful Story
Everyone felt heartbroken after hearing what the Florida woman shared. No one deserves to be treated this way. One commenter expressed how unfair the situation was, saying, “This is sad! Dental work is so expensive. $5,000 for an implant that insurance won’t cover. I hope a dentist sees this and offers to fix your teeth for free.”
Another woman tried to offer a different perspective, writing, “Unfortunately, people think that if you don’t have teeth, it’s connected to drug use.” The Florida woman responded, “The amount of times people assumed that is crazy. And I’m not saying that in a bad way. There are just more ways to lose teeth than addiction.”
Someone else was shocked that her job even cared about her appearance, asking, “About some teeth??? They don’t know if you have a medical condition or what. America is weird.”
More people online sympathized with the Florida woman, and many urged her to take legal action. “Absolutely! You were missing teeth when they hired you, so why make it an issue now? Last time I checked, discrimination was illegal,” one person commented. Another viewer shared a similar warning, writing, “Sue! And don’t go to HR! I made that mistake and got fired.”
Others focused on building her up, reminding her of her worth. “Firstly, teeth or no teeth, you are super gorgeous. That’s the first thing I noticed. I’m so sorry to hear this,” someone told her.
She is beautiful, inside and out, and she doesn’t deserve to feel this way over something that has nothing to do with her abilities or her value.
