self selecting on sliding scale: a how-to guide
I often get asked about how to ethically place one’s self on the scale, so I offer this as a little guide.
By following these guidelines, the sliding scale model can remain sustainable for those who truly need financial flexibility, and I can afford to continue offering it while still sustainably operating my small business. If you are still unsure what menu to book from after reading below, you can always feel free to contact me at sundaymorninghair@gmail.com if you have any questions.
This experiment is evolving without perfection as I do. The power of a sliding scale is that access is a framework through which many complex things can intersect. The dialogue it has generated in and around my chair has been invaluable to my own evolution and comprehension of capitalism, racism, equity, people’s perceptions / experience of scarcity vs. abundance – and how all that intersects my own privileges, the value of my labor, and how I move through the world. I have heard from so many of you that the sliding scale generated the same meaningful opportunity to examine these things as well, and it reminds me of why the work of exploring with this model has been worth it.
Thank you in advance for your consideration and mindfulness! Link at bottom of page for the full service menu and price list.
WHEN NOT TO USE THE SCALE:
Sometimes clients who have experienced early life abundance, but are currently temporarily scarce, select lower on the scale than clients who have experienced early life scarcity, but are temporarily abundant. However, this is not what is supposed to happen, and does not create a sustainable model for the business.
If you are temporarily scarce, I ask that you choose to come when you can afford your normal scale. For example, I, myself, was temporarily scarce during the pandemic after being shut down and unable to work for 8 months. Rather than asking for a lower price for a service that wasn’t a basic need or immediate necessity, I would instead choose to wait until I was back at work and could honor my practitioner’s full price for their services, knowing my scarcity was temporary..i.e. that I generally can know I can survive tough times because I have a safety net of support from family or savings, and that I have a relatively high degree of earning power and likelihood of finding re-employment due to my level of education, gender and racial privilege, class background, etc. Even though I was not using it, I could reasonably rest assured I was gonna be ok at the end of the day.
If you have the choice to work part time, or the choice not to work, due to the income of a partner or family support, or a trust fund or allowance, I ask you to recognize this as a choice.
If affording services is a sacrifice rather than a hardship. A sacrifice is a tradeoff with another comparable luxury expense that your surplus income could be put toward vs. a hardship which is a tradeoff with a basic need (like rent or groceries). If affording services is a sacrifice, but not a hardship, you should book higher on the scale.
The sliding scale offering is also NOT about what one might feel a service SHOULD cost, or would PREFER to pay, but what you CAN afford to access. A good rule of thumb is to always book at the top of what you CAN (and whatever that is, is ok).
Finally, regarding Community Love Scale, if you are a newer resident to El Sereno or Eastern LA, and have access to numerous privileges listed in this how-to guide (like me), I ask that you leave the sliding scale available to those who do not. For example, I, myself, have lived in El Sereno for 10+ years, but I would still book at the Base scale because I own my home, can budget for small luxuries such as travel, dinners out, or shopping on occasion, and have access to some generational wealth (even I grew up lower middle class, my mom had the ability to save for me), as well as racial/gender/ability/identity privilege and educational privilege. The Community scale is intended as a gesture of reciprocity to the neighborhood that is El Sereno (and neighborhoods like it) in its struggle to survive against the forces of displacement and marginalization. It is to honor and acknowledge this area’s long history as an affordable and supportive place where working class, BIPoC, and immigrant families have had a chance to flourish, in solidarity with keeping it that way.
PAY MORE ON THE SCALE IF YOU:
own the home you live in, or are able to afford market-rate rent or higher.
have the ability to travel recreationally once in a while.
can afford to treat yourself to the occasional splurge on a special outfit or a nice dinner out with friends.
are temporarily scarce, but have a relatively high degree of earning power and likelihood of employability due to level of education, gender and racial privilege, class background, etc., even if you are not currently using it.
have investments, retirement accounts, or inherited money.
can be supported by generational wealth when times get tough.
have access to family money and resources in times of need.
have the choice to work part time, or the choice not to work, due to the income of a partner or family support.
affording services is a sacrifice rather than a hardship. A sacrifice is a tradeoff with another luxury expense that your surplus income could be put toward vs. a hardship which is a tradeoff with a basic need (like rent or groceries).
PAY LESS ON THE SCALE IF YOU:
are food or housing insecure
you are supporting yourself or your family on a minimum wage.
are chronically scarce and have more difficulty finding employment or earning higher income due to level of education, racial privilege, disability, gender, class background, etc.
paying for a service would lead to a severe economic hardship, such as not being able to put food on the table, pay rent, or pay for your transportation to get to work.
are eligible for public assistance.
are unemployed or earning a low income and do not have the safety net of generational wealth, the support of family or partner, or savings to fall back on.
And of course, I understand that all of these things intersect each of us in complex and nuanced ways. I truly do trust you to place yourself in the scale. Trust your gut, book what you need, and I’ll see you at your appointment for an awesome haircut!
Finally, please don’t be ashamed if you find you’ve utilized the wrong end of the scale in relation to your privileges before. Just choose differently next time so we can keep this a sustainable model!