Following a job offer, a 29-year-old woman faced a huge dilemma. She was given an ultimatum: conceal her pink hair or seek employment elsewhere. Embracing the challenge, she devised a clever solution to the restriction, sparking widespread attention online.
Emily Benschoter turned to TikTok to share her journey at her new workplace, but with the twist that she can never show her pink hair while she’s on duty. She only found out the fact after she had already been interviewed and offered the position, a front-of-house role in the hospitality industry, because there was no prior contact with her employers in person or over video chat during the hiring process.
Her manager then suggested she wear a wig and that’s when she decided to pick the funniest ones she could find. Her first TikTok video with the first wig went up on July 19, 2023, and it read: «When you have pink hair, but corporate does not approve, so you wear terrible wigs.»
Since then, people have become invested in her wig choices and her clips have been viewed millions of times. «The worse the wig, the better,» she admitted in an interview. «It is a way to open up the conversation with the customers who think it is insane that I have to cover my pink hair.»
In the same interview, Benschoter also took time to explain why she didn’t just simply dye her hair instead. «Dying my hair for a job I work at for 40 hours per week wasn’t an option,» she revealed. «I am a self-expressive person and I feel very confident with pink hair, so I came up with a solution to keep the job and my hair.»
Despite her having fun with the situation, she doesn’t approve of it. «It’s dehumanizing that I can’t be accepted at face value because my hair is a non-traditional color,» she said. «It’s so superficial that my hair color is an obstacle.»
Not surprisingly, this isn’t the first time someone goes viral on social media because of hair trouble. A different woman also went viral on TikTok after a visit to the hairdresser went wrong. She ended up leaving the salon with a disastrous blowout and the before-and-after photos prompted a massive reaction from folks online. See the photos here.
Preview photo credit emuhleeebee / TikTok, emuhleeebee / TikTok
I Forgot to Leave Lunch Money for My Son, but He Said, ‘Don’t Worry, Mom. I’ll Look in the Cereal Box Where Dad Hides It’
This story is a striking look at the strain that financial struggles and secrecy can place on a marriage. Jess’s discovery of the hidden cash speaks to the tension between her hard work and her husband’s misguided attempt at “protecting” her. The emotional weight here is amplified by her sacrifices — working multiple jobs, sleepless nights, and the constant juggle of responsibilities.
Marcus’s fear-driven decision to stash money, while aiming to shield his family, ends up creating a sense of betrayal. Jess’s response — to take a day for herself using the hidden funds — is both a release of her frustration and a way to reclaim her sense of self-worth. This choice reveals the emotional toll of the secret, as well as the need for open communication in a partnership. Marcus might have felt justified, but Jess’s actions remind him of the importance of honesty and the partnership they’re meant to share.
If I were in Jess’s shoes, I’d likely feel just as frustrated and hurt, though it’s clear Marcus’s intentions weren’t malicious. Still, financial secrecy, especially in challenging times, only breeds resentment. The ending gives hope that Marcus has learned this lesson and that they can rebuild trust.
What would you have done? Would a hidden stash be a dealbreaker or a chance for a fresh conversation on shared priorities?
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