McDonald's Manager to Trans Woman: 'We Do Not Hire F*ggots'
Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund (TLDEF) has filed a discrimination complaint with the Florida Commission on Human Relations against McDonald's based on a voicemail message to 17-year-old Zikerria Bellamy from an Orlando restaurant manager.
Said the message: "You went to (indistinguishable) McDonalds today. It doesn't matter how many times you go down there: You will not get hired. We do not hire faggots....You lied to me. You told me you was a woman. And then you lied to me. You told me you were seventeen. I can't believe you. You're a lying brother (indistinguishable). How could you ever lie to me? We will never..."
Listen, AFTER THE JUMP...
(via pam's house blend)
the funny thing about that ignorant lady, was not just that she left evidence on a VM, but that she will now lose her job at mcdonalds during a recession, before christmas.
Posted by: Gregsy | Dec 7, 2009 12:51:54 PM
I'm really not that surprised that someone too stupid to distinguish between drag and transgendered would also be dumb enough to leave such crystal clear evidence in a voicemail.
Posted by: Gryphon | Dec 7, 2009 1:10:15 PM
yeah this is horrible.
yet not shocking coming from mcdonalds.
i'm glad they are shining a light on this. the video is simple and powerful, highlighting the realities many transfolks face.
Posted by: Daniel Baylis | Dec 7, 2009 1:27:31 PM
I wouldn't be too quick to judge McDonalds based on this one illiterate/ignorant managerial response. The one right down the street does hire transgendered and gays. It's pretty self evident, so I don't really think that's the overall company philosophy. I'm certain they will come down hard on this manager and like Gregsy said, will lose their job just before Christmas right in the middle of a recession. Good luck at Taco Bell honey.
Posted by: Keith | Dec 7, 2009 2:04:33 PM
I was happy to see a transgendered woman working at the main downtown Seattle Mickey D's. Hopefully this ugly incident in Orlando (home of the Holy Land Experience them park where people cheer when live-action Jesus gets beaten by the sexy Centurions—I am NOT shitting you!) will generate some manager training across the nation.
Posted by: David R. | Dec 7, 2009 2:06:48 PM
The McDonalds down the street from my apartment has a guy there who wears dangly earrings and lipstick on a regular basis :D
Posted by: Jake | Dec 7, 2009 2:21:42 PM
I live in Orlando and have seen a few transgendered employees at McDonald's as well as a few other fast food chains. Orlando has the 10th largest percentage of gay population by city in the U.S at 7.7% That number may not seem that high, but when almost one out of ten people in the city are gay as a business owner you don't want to start pissing them off.
Posted by: Lloyd | Dec 7, 2009 2:42:48 PM
Which is extremely ironic, lloyd...but someone has to keep disney world running. It's ironic because of the huge concentration of christian crazies who've set up camp all over the city.
Posted by: TANK | Dec 7, 2009 2:47:16 PM
I haven't eaten at a mcdonalds in thirteen years. I guess i can keep up my boycott.
Posted by: TANK | Dec 7, 2009 2:48:22 PM
Quite disgusting. I'm pleased however that Ms. Bellamy had the presence of mind to take this to TLDEF. I can't imagine McDonald's will condone this type of behavior and the manager should be terminated immediately.
I worry that too often this happens to members of the GLBT community and it's at least comforting to know that there are times when justice can be served.
Please keep us posted- McDonald's; it's your move now.
Posted by: ED2 | Dec 7, 2009 2:57:01 PM
Does she have any legal recourse in Orlando? I know the state of Florida doesn't have job protections. Perhaps McDonald's does though.
Posted by: Bruno | Dec 7, 2009 3:02:59 PM
when is this ever gonna stop?
Posted by: j.v. | Dec 7, 2009 10:50:59 PM
With the amount of money she'll be getting from that hood rat (who'll be unemployed now)....she won't be needing to work at Mcdonals (and thank God for that!)
Posted by: Bayley | Dec 8, 2009 10:46:53 AM
Florida seems to generate ignorance and it is never-ending. I recently had a ticket trun up in my background check that was from 1984, and it was taken care of in 1997 because it came up again at that time. The problem is that everytime something of this nature happens they only get "slapped" when they really need to get their ass-kicked for once and for all!!!!
Posted by: fritze | Dec 8, 2009 3:28:43 PM
I am not defending the ignorant hiring manager in any way, but I am reminding us all that what McDonald's, the corporation, does, is not the same as what the independent owners and operators of most McDonald's restaurants do. From a website devoted to franchises:
McDonald's brand is in 122 countries around the world. Thirty thousand locations serve 51 million customers each day. More than 70 percent of McDonald's restaurants around the world are owned and operated by independent local businesspeople.
In addition, the company operates Boston Market. It also has a subsidiary, Redbox, which in 2003 started as 18-foot wide automated convenience stores, but as of 2005 has focused on DVD rental machines.
Posted by: Dennis C. McGrath | Dec 9, 2009 12:26:24 PM