#LGBTQ Nation » Feed LGBTQ Nation » Transgender Publix cashier sues after months of harassment & a nervous breakdown Comments Feed The country’s first out non-binary state legislator is also Muslim & they have a lot of work to do Out MSNBC analyst Steve Kornacki makes “Sexiest Men of 2020” list & it is about damn time LGBTQ Nation LGBTQ Nation * Home * News * Politics * Life * Transcend * Health * Commentary * Subscribe * * * ____________________ Search News Transgender Publix cashier sues after months of harassment & a nervous breakdown The chain has faced numerous allegations of anti-LGBTQ employment discrimination lately, settling some of the suits out of court. By Alex Bollinger Thursday, November 19, 2020 A Publix in Miami A Publix in MiamiPhoto: Shutterstock A former employee of Publix is suing, alleging that she was forced to cut her hair short to get a job there, and then no one did anything as her coworkers harassed her with slurs like “shim” and “sissy he-she.” She claims she was eventually fired as a result of the constant harassment. Kevin Whitter got a job as a cashier at a Publix in Miami in 2018, and she faced so much harassment at work that she had a nervous breakdown and had to be hospitalized, according to her suit filed in federal court this week. Related: A trans woman & her husband are suing Amazon after a coworker tried to kill them The suit alleges that the mistreatment started just after she was hired when she was forced to cut her hair short to fit the grocery store’s male uniform policy and was told she couldn’t wear a women’s uniform because she “was not a female and [Publix] is not interested in confusing [its] customers.” Whitter’s drivers license says that she is female but she cut her hair and wore the men’s uniform because she needed the job, according to the Sun-Sentinel. She was also told by management not to use the women’s bathroom because she “would scare the women because you look like a man and you are a man, and you aren’t female by Publix’ standards.” In the months that followed, her coworkers allegedly attacked and harassed her, calling her “he-she,” “shim,” “Ms. Thing,” “Kevinisha,” and “Kiki.” A deli worker at the store even grabbed her butt while she was walking and said she just wanted to feel if she was wearing “booty pads.” A manager later told her to wear a compression bra because her “appearance is embarrassing our department and this company and bringing negative attention.” “Why can’t you be like the other gay people here?” the manager allegedly said. “Be gay and keep it to yourself.” The harassment allegedly continued until a day in 2019 when another manager told her, “We don’t tolerate homosexuals in my country.” She admits she yelled back in anger, but then she was escorted out of the store by a security guard. “Get the [expletive] out of Publix, you sissy he-she,” she said the guard told her, slamming the door on her finger. Whitter said that she had a nervous break down after months of abuse and was forced to check in to a mental health hospital for treatment for three days. When she got out of the hospital, she found a phone message telling her she was fired. Her lawsuit says that she has since been diagnosed with depression and has suicidal thoughts as a result of the months of harassment. She already filed a complaint with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which gave her a “Notice of Right to Sue.” Whitter is accusing the store of illegally discriminating against her under Title VII of the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964, which bans discrimination “because of sex.” Earlier this year, the Supreme Court ruled in the landmark Bostock v. Clayton County decision that the law bans discrimination against LGBTQ people. Publix is refusing to comment on pending litigation. The chain has faced numerous allegations of anti-LGBTQ employment discrimination lately, settling some of the suits out of court. News Bostock v. Clayton County, Kevin Whitter, LGBTQ job discrimination, Miami FL, Publix, transgender job discrimination The country’s first out non-binary state legislator is also Muslim & they have a lot of work to do Previous article Out MSNBC analyst Steve Kornacki makes “Sexiest Men of 2020” list & it is about damn time Next article Latest Stories * Megan Rapinoe, Billie Jean King & 174 female athletes sign brief supporting trans women in sports * Man punches teen in the face on a bus while shouting "I hate gay people" * Wedding venue refuses lesbian couple & cites "Christian values" * Pat Robertson gives up on Trump: "You've had your day and it's time to move on" (BUTTON) Show Comments ( ) More in News * Megan Rapinoe, Billie Jean King & 174 female athletes sign brief supporting trans women in sports Megan Rapinoe, Billie Jean King & 174 female athletes sign brief supporting trans women in sports “Every young person, and especially youth who are transgender, or intersex, should be able to participate fully in sport.” Tuesday, December 22, 2020 * Man punches teen in the face on a bus while shouting “I hate gay people” Man punches teen in the face on a bus while shouting “I hate gay people” “You have long hair. I don’t like people like you.” Tuesday, December 22, 2020 * Wedding venue refuses lesbian couple & cites “Christian values” Wedding venue refuses lesbian couple & cites “Christian values” The owners say they don’t discriminate against anyone, they just “believe in our Christian values.” Tuesday, December 22, 2020 * Pat Robertson gives up on Trump: “You’ve had your day and it’s time to move on” Pat Robertson gives up on Trump: “You’ve had your day and it’s time to move on” After holding out for weeks, Robertson conceded, “I think we’re going to see a President Biden” and said Trump “lives in an alternate reality.” Tuesday, December 22, 2020 * Hundreds gather to mourn trans teen who died after she was humiliated for wearing a skirt to school Hundreds gather to mourn trans teen who died after she was humiliated for wearing a skirt to school “Everything I’m doing now, it’s to better help you, that’s what you don’t understand!” the counselor shouted at the trans teen, shortly before she died by suicide. Monday, December 21, 2020 * Longtime marriage equality opponent is outraged that her organization is a hate group Longtime marriage equality opponent is outraged that her organization is a hate group The same woman who declared herself the “spokesman” for Prop 8 is “madder than a wet hen” and starting a petition. Sunday, December 20, 2020 * Washington DC bans gay & trans “panic” defenses in criminal cases Washington DC bans gay & trans “panic” defenses in criminal cases It passed unanimously. Sunday, December 20, 2020 * Pastor who claimed immunity from COVID — then caught it — calls Drag Queen Story Hour “sexual garbage” Pastor who claimed immunity from COVID — then caught it — calls Drag Queen Story Hour “sexual garbage” E.W. Jackson couldn’t help but bring up drag queens during his prayer show, saying he “loves them” but they commit “child abuse” by reading books to youth. Sunday, December 20, 2020 * Trans inmate wins federal case to get gender affirming surgery Trans inmate wins federal case to get gender affirming surgery “She has waited long enough,” the federal judge wrote. Friday, December 18, 2020 LGBTQ Nation Get the Daily Brief The news you care about, reported on by the people who care about you. ____________________ ____________________ Subscribe LGBTQ Nation News & Opinion * * * * * News * Life * Politics * Election 2020 * Prime * Commentary * Health and Wellness * LGBTQ Nation Heroes 2020 © 2010 - 2020 LGBTQ Nation, All Rights Reserved. About Us • Contact Us • Privacy • Terms of Service • Our other sites: GayCities • Queerty Q.Digital - LGBTQ Owned Advertise with us Comscore Measurement [tr?id=686853021424163&ev=PageView&noscript=1] Quantcast