Transgender teen files discrimination complaint against Orlando McDonald's
by Joseph Erbentraut
EDGE Great Lakes Regional Editor
Monday Dec 7, 2009
http://www.edgeboston.com/index.php?ch=news&sc=&sc2=news&sc3=&id=99819When 17-year-old Zikerria Bellamy arrived for a job interview at an Orlando McDonald's in July, she said her reception was far from welcoming. And when managers at the fast-food giant learned she is transgender, she received a voice mail message from one who stated: "We do not hire ->-bleeped-<-gots."
The incident took place after Bellamy filled out an online application for employment at the fast food outlet on July 10. Bellamy did not complete the section that asks applicants about their gender, reports a Dec. 7 article at
ClickOrlando.com. Although the online application assures viewers that there is no onus associated with leaving that field blank, Bellamy says that when she spoke with a manager in person on July 28, he insisted that she fill in the section. Bellamy checked off the "male" option and, the teenager told Orlando's Local 6 News, "He was upset. I seen the anger, you know, like you can tell when someone gets upset."
