A woman who lost her job over being transgender has received an apology and a job offer one week after the incident took place.
Georgia Carter, from Virginia, attended an interview at a Richmond KFC and was hired on the spot due to her experience in the fast food industry. However less than one hour later she received a phone call from the restaurant manager who told her she could not have the job because she was transgender.
Although Carter had been told she was successful and would commence training the following day, the restaurant manager phoned her almost immediately after she left the interview and told her not to attend the training that had been scheduled.
The manager had noticed that Carter’s driving license identified her as male and, after Carter explained she was transgender, the manager stated:
“Me and my supervisor think that’s a problem. We don’t know what bathroom you could use.”
Unfortunately, the manager’s actions did not break any laws as the Virginia Human Rights Act still offers no protection for those being discriminated against because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Carter stated it is “disappointing” that the LGBT community are not protected and questioned:
“Aren’t we people too?”
It seemed many people agreed with Carter and once her story started to spread the support came flooding in from various individuals and groups, including KFC corporate.
Carter received a call explaining that the actions of the restaurant manager who had fired her were against company policy and that he himself had lost his job for the way he treated her.
Carter stated the woman she spoke to was “very polite” and “extremely apologetic” as she emphasized that KFC “do not tolerate” that kind of behaviour.
Carter was also offered a job working at the KFC of her choice however she remains apprehensive and questioned:
“What’s the guarantee it won’t happen again?”
Carter then spoke about her experience and claimed she hopes to “become someone people can talk to” as she wants “to help people” who find themselves in similar situations.
Image via ABC News.
