Lawsuit filed against McDonald’s for refusing to hire trans woman

This is really upsetting, but gives us even more fodder to push for the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA).
This summer, 17-year old Zikerria Bellamy was refused for employment at an Orlando McDonald’s when one of the managers learned that she was transgender. In response, the Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund (TLDEF) has filed a discrimination lawsuit against the restaurant, and they have pretty damn good evidence: a recording of the voicemail the manager left Bellamy. He tells her, “We do not hire f*ggots.” Says TLDEF:

Zikerria’s story is all too common. Transgender people face tremendous discrimination in the workplace. According to a recent survey by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and the National Center for Transgender Equality, 47% of transgender people report being fired, or denied a job or promotion, just because of who they are.
Few protections exist for transgender people who experience employment discrimination. In 38 states, there is no law protecting transgender people from being fired because of who they are. Federal law similarly offers no job protection for transgender people.

There’s no Florida law explicitly stating protections against discrimination for trans individuals, although administrative agencies in Florida have ruled in the past that the Florida Human Rights Act’s prohibitions on sex and disability discrimination does include trans rights. To ensure there’s no uncertainty, the Competitive Workforce Bill was introduced to the Florida legislature last month, which would add language on gender identity and sexual orientation to the Florida Civil Rights Act.
What we need is to ensure protection at the federal level. Call the Capitol Switchboard at 202.224.3121 and ask to speak to your representative (TLDEF has recommendations on what to say) – ENDA has been sitting since September and Zikerria’s story is further proof this just can’t be delayed any longer.