Transgender Woman Files Human Rights Complaint Against McDonald's

The Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund on Monday filed a complaint with the Florida human rights commission on behalf of a 17-year-old woman who says that McDonald’s refused to hire her because she is transgender.

Zikerria Bellamy applied online for a management position with a McDonald’s restaurant in Orlando on July 10, according to TLDEF. On July 28, after managers learned that she is transgender, she received the voice message that can be heard below.

“It doesn’t matter how many times you go down there,” says the male voice. “You will not get hired. We do not hire faggots. You lied to me.”

While no Florida law offers protections based on gender identity, administrative agencies in the state have ruled that transgender people are protected by the state’s human rights act prohibitions on sex and disability discrimination.

This article was originally published at the Advocate.