Homophobia at Starbucks

[distantearlywarning]

I just saw this on a friend's Facebook page. It's a very interesting and disturbing read. I hope Starbucks responds in a positive way. :(

"Dear Starbucks,

I am writing this letter to you as a loyal customer with concerns. I know probably 90% of the letters you receive trying to solicit something from you probably start the same way, but this is different. When I say, I am a loyal customer I mean you have had me for the better part of my adult life, hook, line and sinker...(snip)..That was the case, until yesterday.
Which is why I am writing to you today...(snip)"

"...Yesterday when I walked into your Centereach, Long Island location I saw one of the most brazen and unapologetic displays of homophobia I have ever witnessed in my entire life. What was most concerning about it was it was perpetuated by not one, not two but THREE of your employees and it was directed towards a fourth employee. I don’t know this man, but I know his name is Jeffrey because the woman (who seemed to be in charge of this circus) loudly scolded, spoke to in a condescending manner, humiliated, and then let go. In the middle of your store. Two feet away from my table. Then when Jeffrey, who was visibly shaken went to the bathroom to collect him self, the women at the table went on a long, ranting homophobic rant that lasted about five minutes."

More at: http://lilfamilyblog.wordpress.com/2011/06/13/i-know-starbucks-is-not-an-anti-gay-homophobic-company-by-policy-but/

[Shagbark Hickory]

1. MAybe they were filming an episode of "what would you do"

Or maybe not. But I would have spoken up and given her a piece of my mind.

[Occulus]

2. Read the whole piece

Definitely not the case; they were firing him for being gay. I believe that's outright illegal in NYC.

They would never have done this to a woman or an African-American. Not in public, in front of other customers, and not in the back room, either.

[Shagbark Hickory]

3. That's typically how they film What Would You Do.

They will have a scenario like that where someone is being discriminated and it will all play out in a very unavoidable place in the middle of a diner so everyone can hear. Then they capture people's reaction. Some make it on air, some don't.

I wasn't suggesting that this really was an episode of WWYD or that this stuff only happens on TV, but it certainly had all the makings of a WWYD episode.

[customerserviceguy]

4. I have a problem with this WWYD show

It seems to model bad behavior. I sure hope the people who watch it 'get' it, and don't just think it's cool to emulate it.

Did "Jackass" really teach teenage boys NOT to do dangerous, stupid stuff?

[Scuba]

6. The episode I saw was outstanding. The last guy you'd expect to do so....

...stood up and defended a lesbian couple with children from a waitress (actress). It was heartwarming.

[Shagbark Hickory]

12. Yeah I think there was even a post on DU about it. A guy in a Texas diner. nt

[ohheckyeah]

5. And the person who wrote this said NOTHING

to the manager? What bullshit!

I witnessed an employee being dressed down by a manger for TALKING to me as she was getting my ordered item and ringing it up. I walked away for about 3 steps, decided "oh hell no" turned around and burned that managers ears up. I reported her to the head office which she came from. How dare any manager dress down an employee in public, much less put the employee down for being gay.

[Scuba]

7. Not everyone is comfortable with face-to-face confrontations....

...credit the author with writing the letter of complaint.

[ohheckyeah]

8. That's something

but it will probably never get to the right person and end up in the trash.

[distantearlywarning]

10. This was asked in the comments.

She said that 1) she wanted to comfort Jeffrey first and foremost, and 2) that she actually made the conscious decision not to talk to the manager about it, because she didn't want the manager to recognize that someone was angry and have a chance to "prepare a defense" before the author was able to contact the corporate headquarters of Starbucks.

[ohheckyeah]

11. She has more self control

than I would. It really, really yanks my chain to see someone who is helpless in a situation abused by the person in power. Situations like this are the best reason I can think of to have a cell phone that takes video.

[kevinbgoode]

9. An outrageous situation

And not completely uncommon, either. These three employees need to be fired and something attached to THEIR personnel files that they are unable to work in any business which deals with the public or follows the non-discrimination laws of their locality and state.

Then let them go home and figure out how to find a fu*king job while denying them unemployment benefits because they were indeed fired with just cause.