Family Dollar store said it is taking “very seriously” an incident in which a gay customer was refused service in a New Orleans store. The incident was partially caught on video and spread virally yesterday. Melissa Langford said after asking the cashier to stop making gay slurs and identifying herself as gay, the cashier refused to serve her.
@tlrd We are taking this incident very seriously and it is currently under investigation.
— Family Dollar (@familydollar) April 26, 2016
Family Dollar also sent a longer statement to the Times-Picayune:
“We take incidents like this very seriously. We have a Code of Ethics in place that ensures inclusion for customers and associates and helps to ensure good customer care,” Bryn, Winburn, Family Dollar's public and media relations manager, said in an email.
“The code specifically forbids unprofessional conduct and comments on sexual orientation, among other matters. Any activity that goes against this code is simply not how we expect our stores to do business. This situation is currently under investigation.”
Langford is organizing a peaceful protest outside the store on Wednesday. She writes:
PEACEFUL protest this Wednesday starting at noon, going on til ? #familydollar 2650 canal st nola. Please share this post if u have time.
Everyone is welcome. All I ask is that there is no yelling, or bad energy. We don't even need signs. We can just blast some Cher and make out.
