Transgender teen denied job interview at McDonald's
VIDEO - A Florida teenager claims an Orlando McDonald's refused to give her a job interview because she is a male living as a female, then followed up the rejection by harassing her over the phone...
A Florida teenager claims an Orlando McDonald’s refused to give her a job interview because she is a male living as a female, then followed up the rejection by harassing her over the phone.
Zikerria Bellamy, 17, has been living as a female for six years.
She said she went in for an interview only to be turned away.
“I went in for the interview. Once he realized I was transgendered, he told me I wouldn’t be getting an interview no more, so I was determined to work. I was determined to get job for the summer,” Bellamy said.
So Bellamy said she went to a second manager.
“Once he realized I was transgendered, he began to laugh at me and told me I wouldn’t get the job, the interview, that day either, so later on when I got home that afternoon i received a voice message telling me I wouldn’t get the job, with anti-gay anti-transgendered slurs telling me I wouldn’t get the job because I was transgendered,” she said.
The Transgender Defense Fund has filed a complaint to the state.
“McDonald’s needs to take steps to make sure that this doesn’t happen again and, so far, we haven’t heard anything that indicates they’re willing to do that,” attorney Michael Silverman said.
A spokeswoman for the McDonald’s said the manager acted outside the scope of his authority, was not responsible for hiring and is no longer employed by the restaurant.
Bellamy, who worked at another McDonald’s location for three years, said she wants the restaurant to ensure that other employees like her are treated fairly.
