Transgender Teen Files Complaint Against McDonald’s

[Hudson]

A transgender teen in Orlando has filed a complaint against McDonald’s after a manager refused to interview her and subsequently left a message on her answering machine containing a common epithet. Zikerria Bellamy applied for a job at McDonald’s in July and left the box on her application for gender blank. The online application specifically says that field is optional, but when she arrived for an interview, the manager insisted she fill in the field. After checking the box that said “Male”, he terminated the interview. Zikerria returned a second time to try speaking to a different manager who also refused to speak to her and then followed up with a message on her voice mail (see below).

The Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund has filed a complaint with Florida’s Commission on Human Relations on Bellamy’s behalf, claiming that McDonald’s violated the Florida Civil Rights Act. Florida law does not explicitly prohibit employment discrimination on the basis of sexual identity or sexual orientation, but administrative agencies have in the past ruled that the sex and disability provisions of the Florida Civil Rights Act protects transgendered individuals.

Below is a copy of the message left on Bellamy’s voice mail. This message includes strong language and is not work safe.


LINK to voicemail msg and article (http://www.jdjournal.com/2009/12/07/transgender-teen-files-complaint-against-mcdonalds/)

[Hudson]

Apparently if you're questioning your gender identity or presenting as the gender you yourself feel you are (you confused little thing, you) McDonald's is administering a simple test free of charge (minus the gas or bus fare you used to motor yourself on over there looking for work). All you have to do is pick up an application, leave the Gender box blank, drop it off and a manager or someone in charge will give you the once over and assign your new gender! So I encourage each and every one of my trans brothers and sisters to get on over to your local Mickey D's and let them know you're there for the 'gender test' (or a 'job', as these passwords are interchangeable). I believe they even follow it up with a phone call to confirm your result when it's finalized. Good luck!

[Linus]

Actually, McD's fired the manager. See this thread: http://www.butchfemmeplanet.com/forum/showthread.php?t=493

They did the right thing while the manager (or employee) did the wrong thing.

[Apocalipstic]

I hope this will be a wake up call for employers to implement mandatory sensitivity training for their management!

[Hudson]

Actually, McD's fired the manager. See this thread: http://www.butchfemmeplanet.com/forum/showthread.php?t=493

They did the right thing while the manager (or employee) did the wrong thing.

Yeah, I read the article Linus. Thank you. (sorry I didn't see your thread - I did do a search). My post after the OP was a joking jab at the situation, not McDonald's. (Florida and no federal ENDA are to blame here) He actually wasn't even a manager and had no authority to hire. And it's great they fired him BUT what are they going to do now? Will they hire her? Give her a settlement? Or will they fight with her? We don't know that yet. I have been searching for McD's non-discrimination policy and I can't find it and I have yet to come across anything that says it specifically names transgendered people or gender identity within it. (If anyone has an employee manual or can find this info, please enlighten us).

[NotAnAverageGuy]

I am not totally positive but I have had friends that worked for mcd's and they say they don't discriminate based on gender, race, sexual orientation, etc etc, there is no clear terms on Trans folks

[Linus]

Yeah, I read the article Linus. Thank you. (sorry I didn't see your thread - I did do a search). My post after the OP was a joking jab at the situation, not McDonald's. (Florida and no federal ENDA are to blame here) He actually wasn't even a manager and had no authority to hire. And it's great they fired him BUT what are they going to do now? Will they hire her? Give her a settlement? Or will they fight with her? We don't know that yet. I have been searching for McD's non-discrimination policy and I can't find it and I have yet to come across anything that says it specifically names transgendered people or gender identity within it. (If anyone has an employee manual or can find this info, please enlighten us).

You know, if I was her and went through this, I wouldn't want to work for them. At this point, she has been forced to publicly out herself on a national level. I'd imagine (based on the responses to the YouTube video she posted) she'd get even more personal hate comments (not something you need or deserve when doing a job of any kind).

I'm hoping that they do some kind of settlement so she won't have to endure this elsewhere. As far as McD's non-discrimination policy it doesn't have anything. And reality is that it's the state level laws that they'd have to abide by (which means she technically has no protection as a trans individual but would have protection under other mechanisms).