Florida McDonald's To Transgender Applicant: We Don't Hire Faggots

The Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund has filed an employment discrimination suit against an Orlando McDonald's after learning that a manager had left a voicemail for a transgender applicant stating, "We don't hire faggots." Zikerria Bellamy, 17, had applied online for a job with the restaurant. The TLDEF notes:

Zikerria’s story is all too common. Transgender people face tremendous discrimination in the workplace. According to a recent survey by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and the National Center for Transgender Equality, 47% of transgender people report being fired, or denied a job or promotion, just because of who they are. Few protections exist for transgender people who experience employment discrimination. In 38 states, there is no law protecting transgender people from being fired because of who they are. Federal law similarly offers no job protection for transgender people. In Florida, while no law explicitly addresses discrimination based on gender identity, administrative agencies in Florida have ruled that transgender people are protected by the Florida Human Rights Act’s prohibitions on sex and disability discrimination. The Competitive Workforce Bill, which would add gender identity and sexual orientation to the Florida Civil Rights Act, was introduced in the Florida legislature on November 20.

In late November, openly lesbian Orlando City Commissioner Patty Sheehand proposed adding transgender protections to the city's ordinances. Mayor Buddy Dyer has strongly endorsed the proposed legislation. Fifteen Florida cities have such protections, including Tampa, which passed a transgender anti-discrimination bill last month after an ugly public debate.

Here is the voicemail left by the McDonald's manager.