Shocked at Wal-Mart

[toniwest]

I was at Wal-Mart today after work and there were 4 transgender girls shopping together. They were awesome, they drew some attention from dome shoppers but didn't let it bother them. The part that I thought was awful was the employees at Wal-Mart were rude. They literally followed the girls out of bc the store and were pointing and calling other employees over. I couldn't believe my eyes and management didn't say a thing. The humorous part was that both the Cis Wal-Mart employees were both over six foot tall and pushing 300 pounds so they should have been the last people to talk about anyone being different. The great part about it was the girls didn't let a couple of jerks ruin their shopping trip. They were having a blast. I hope some day to have that much confidence in myself. I should have complained myself to the store manager.

[Lady Smith]

It's something that I noticed when I used to get catcalled and insulted on the street was that more often than not the person throwing the insults had suffered a bad beating from an ugly stick.

[Ms Grace]

I should have complained myself to the store manager.

You still can - write a letter, send it to the manager stating the day and time (if you saw the names of the ringleaders all the better) and describe their behaviour. CC it to any sympathetic media outlets and the CEO of Wal-Mart. See how much they're laughing then!

[toniwest]

I saved the receipt with time and store number in it. I should have taking video of the employees. The plus side is near check out there are a ton of store surveillance cameras. I mentioned in another post about wanting to go to law school and it is because of stuff like this. I bet with media attention and a letter from a law firm they would be more sensitive to their customers diversity

[awilliams1701]

I've experienced the exact opposite at my Walmart. They've been interested in me and have complimented me.

[NatalieInProgress]

     I must say that I am quite shocked that this happened as well. I have been working for Wal-Mart in mid-level management for 6 years now and have never seen anything like what you are describing. One of Wal-Mart's core principles is Respect for the Individual and the company I
has specific policies that protect transgender employees.
     I have been living full time since October and the company has been extremely supportive of my transition. In fact, in all of the time since I have only had two negative experiences regarding my transition and they were involving customers who were intoxicated or not in their right mind.
     Speaking as a manager for Wal-Mart, I would encourage you to call the store manager and let them know what you witnessed so that the situation can be addressed.  What you saw is definitely not a part of Wal-Mart culture and is something that any manager would be certain to correct if they were made aware of it.

[iKate]

Complain via the website. It goes to HQ in Arkansas and they are responsive. They've responded to me the time I had to complain (it was about sales tax that the store was improperly collecting.)

I have never had any issue at Walmart whatsoever and I even get my HRT scrips filled there. I go full femme and they know my male name and nobody really seems to care.

[Eva Marie]

I've experienced the exact opposite at my Walmart. They've been interested in me and have complimented me.

Same here. I live in an older, very conservative smaller community in a suburb of L.A. and there are very few trans people here. I have dealt extensively with the Walmart pharmacy and we have gone through the rigamarole of me looking female while picking up prescriptions in <male name> (thus having to out myself each time) and getting my name changed after the court order was in hand and the only people that have acted even a little bit negative toward me were customers (staring at me in my early transition days). The employees have been nothing but courteous and professional, and have even asked questions about my journey.

I'd definitely give Walmart HQ a call about this; it is out of character for an associate to do something like this.

[rachel89]

The types of people who end up on PeopleofWalmart.com (often 300+lbs, almost totally neglect personal appearance, and have a terrible fashion sense, and frequently act like idiots)  are like really the last ones who should be pointing and laughing at T-girls.

[Mai]

this is something that can vary drastically between different stores, and sometimes between different shifts at the same store. it all depends on who it there.  they should however have respect for the individual.  which we have had quite a few employees lose their jobs over.  alot of people think that if their complaint is filed it just goes to the trash, but it doesnt.  it gets listened to and if the management at that store is worth anything, they will deal with it appropriately.

[Asche]

The types of people who end up on PeopleofWalmart.com (often 300+lbs, almost totally neglect personal appearance, and have a terrible fashion sense, and frequently act like idiots)  are like really the last ones who should be pointing and laughing at T-girls.

Can we not dump on people for how they look?  If we do that, we're no better than the people the OP is complaining about.

From what I've heard, that website is mostly about making fun of how the people shown there look.  (And based on that reputation, I'm unwilling to go there and give the site additional clicks.)  Given that many of us get dumped on for how we look, I would have thought we'd have a little more compassion than that....

(I think the name of the site is classist -- a lot of people don't have any alternative to Wal-Mart, either because they're poor or because there simply isn't anything else in their area.)

[Ms Grace]

Can we not dump on people for how they look?

I will second this.

[Ian68]

I will second this.

I will third this - not because I care even slightly about the feelings of such horrible people, but because I don't like the insinuation that it would somehow be *more* acceptable for an attractive cisgender person to mock a transgender person's appearance.  We are not inherently less attractive as the general population at all.

Moving on to Wal-Mart, I'm not surprised that this happened, and I do hope the OP reports it to the manager and corporate.  I don't shop at Wal-Mart for other political reasons, but it definitely shouldn't be happening anywhere.  Good for the ladies who didn't let it ruin their experience!

[iKate]

I really don't like to criticize people for their appearance. I'm not the prettiest person in the world either and everyone is beautiful in some way:

[rachel89]

sorry.

[rachel89]

I was being a little to snarky and I crossed the line. I hope you will accept my apology.

[rachel89]

I am kind of looking for some forgiveness here. there were a lot things wrong with what I said. if I could get some responses to my apology, it would be nice.

[Beth Andrea]

*hugs*

We all make mistakes, Rachel. The thing to do is just what you've done...apologize, learn, and press on.



Where I live, there are two Wal-Marts within three miles of each other...and the vibe I get from them are totally opposite:

The first one is very...snooty, if that word can be used with WM. The employees will help, but their body language says you're imposing on their time. The customers are generally cold and humorless. There is a Subway that has a most peculiar odor coming from the bread ovens; not like a stand-alone Subway (which has a delicious fragrance of freshly baked bread), and it's been that way since it opened. I did mention it to both stores, but it's still the same.

The newer one is very friendly and one gets the impression that the employees are happy to see you, and eager to help (I had one person come up 3 times in 15 minutes; we were just browsing, but he kept asking in such a nice way...) Several times we've gone dancing in the aisles (when not crowded) and had customers join us briefly.

So I'd say it depends on which store (and probably which shift) one experiences. There's good and bad everywhere. (Even at Macy's LOL)

[rachel89]

I live in semi-rural Indiana (the type of place where the film  "Boys Don't Cry" is kind of a horror movie for trans* people) I was lashing out against the local culture, but I also see that I went way too far and forgot that were people here who had feelings I could hurt.

[sam1234]

I sounds as though this particular Walmart was acting on its own and perhaps is not true of all their stores. Part of whether transgenders get picked out probably depends on whether or not there is still something that allows the employees to recognize someone as transgender.

Calling the manager is not a bad idea. Even if you don't plan on doing this, a threat to go to the media is often enough to turn a store around. If this store is in a rural area and the only Walmart around, bad press would definately scare them.

I'm sorry you had to go through that. No matter what someone looks like,  they should not be singled out or made fun of, which, in my mind includes groups pointing at an individual. i child i could overlook, but not a teen or adult.

sam1234