A University of Texas student who identifies as gender queer was denied entry to a Whataburger chain restaurant in Austin because of their attire (right).
Is it a conservative look? No. But it was past midnight at the burger joint near the UT campus — if a female student stumbled in after a night of partying wearing the same thing, think she’d get served? We tend to think so.
Tyler Grant, who prefers gender-neutral pronouns, was told their outfit was too revealing, too “see-through.” But what is actually being revealed? Tyler’s thighs? Shocking. Shoulders? The horror.
The conflict began when an off-duty Austin police officer working security for the restaurant approached a barefoot Tyler outside and said they had to put their shoes on. It’s important to note that on first look, the guard only saw one problem with the outfit — no shoes.
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Tyler complied. “Wait, are you a dude?” the off-duty officer told them, according to Tyler. Tyler replied, “That’s not a very nice question to ask.” That’s when the officer said, “You can’t go in there like that.”
He went inside and fetched the manager.
Part of that interaction was caught on video.
In the clip, we see Tyler trying to explain that the outfit isn’t revealing anything that would justify denying service.
Tyler later wrote on Facebook:
“I was wearing two inches of hip/butt pads, 2 pairs of dancers tights, and three pairs of nude panty hose. If it were see through then she would have seen my brightly colored underwear, which also covered up everything essential anyway, but you couldn’t even see those.”
Whataburger Corporate Communications insists that the incident was by the book. They put out the following statement:
“Whataburger is proud to serve all customers regardless of race, gender or orientation. This wasn’t an issue of gender but of appropriate attire as this guest was dressed in lingerie. Again, we welcome everyone into our restaurants but our customers’ experience is our top priority. We are reviewing these events with our team members and will take appropriate action if needed.”
“I really believe it was transphobia-driven and I don’t think it had anything to do with what I was wearing,” Tyler told San Antonio Express-News.
Tyler, who has been to the restaurant several times in the past without incident, plans to consult the university’s Legal Services for Students division for advice on possible legal action.
Nick Tripoli
Cecilia Peña Texas.
Edward Livingston
This is not TRANS phobia if the student had drive through the drive through they would have serve said student, Not all female attire is able to be worn all hours of the day. I have no problem with it but my family who are southern baptist who could have been dining that late would think the student was a HOOKER or something. Sorry but that is what the student appears to be. Put some clothes on leave the mug on and see what they say next time.
Robert Stearn
Seriously! Dress appropriately if dining out. Even at this place!
Joshua Crum
Who wants to be seen eating at Whataburger in drag anyway??
Robert Joseph Mastronardi
I’ve seen women dress in less. This is a clear cut discrimination case.
Troy von Tussle
In the land of the “free”… *tut*…
Steven Shelton
My country is turning into russia
Mike Gerard
I agree, that is a bit much for public outing especially a place where you eat food.
Alex Rothwell
Should not matter in the least.
bjohnmasters
I’m not convinced that the manager was wrong. Sorry.
calabrazy55
His dick/pussy was showing. There are clearly people who look to make a scene out of life and blaming discrimination. Next time wear a dress that’s 2 inches longer
MacAdvisor
“Their” is not gender neutral, it is plural. In the English language, the gender neutral pronoun is “he.” He is both masculine and neutral. Thus, if the gender of the party is unknown or not to be disclosed, one uses he. One uses “their” to refer to a group. Unless Tyler has multiple personality disorder, “their” is not an appropriate pronoun.
The dress is a little much for a public place, but he carries it off rather well. He should have several male and female friends try to order in the outfit and see if the women succeed.
calabrazy55
I grew up in the Gay and Lesbian community. But now it’s gay, lesbian, bi, and trans. That’s great. BUT I CANNOT ACCEPT QUEER AS BEING PART OF MY COMMUNITY. NOT IN THAT SENSE. SO LETS GO BACK TO BEING THE LGBT COMMUNITY
calabrazy55
Now we are labelled lgbtq What about f for all the people who like to get freaky
Valerie Anderson
Not right!
Joe Eugene
In the ’50s women would not go to the grocery store without changing into a dress or skirt, often with a girdle under it. They for sure could not go to work in pants. How did they get the freedom to wear what they want without men getting the same freedom?
Jeff Eiselman
I agree. Next time wear a cocktail dress or use the drive through. That is lingerie.
csports286
This doesn’t look much different than the slutty outfits girls wear on Halloween in Austin… But I still think the crotch should’ve been covered.
wade.l
Another person after their 5 minutes of fame
David Achterhof
i cant believe this happened in austin its like the only city in texas that has lgbt protection
jason smeds
I agree that he should be dressed more appropriately but the issue of the double standard remains: why are women allowed to dress in tacky, revealing clothes in public?
I think that women need to be pulled into line in general because it is they who have brought down public standards with their revealing dress sense. Message to women in general: if you want to wear revealing clothing, do it at home. The public sphere is not the place for your lack of decency.
Women dress this way because they see it as a means of gaining power over men, including homosexual men. They flaunt the double standard as if to say “ha, we women can get away with it you but you guys can’t”.
sweetbrandigirl2004
I’m ALL against discrimination but his attire is completely unaceptable ! You can’t wear just whatever the hell you want especially if its something you known is social unaccptable to be worn in public and expect not to have a problem. This young man is WRONG ! The Manager acted in the appropiate way.
Steve Wyrick
is this the 1950’s again? F gender roles!
machuffin
This probably is a case of discrimination but he certainly wasn’t doing himself any favors by dressing like a whore. Now, a woman probably would have been served (or maybe not?) but that may not just be because they would have not had a problem with a woman wearing that outfit but because it becomes awkward even bordering on sexual harassment to discuss with women about appropriate attire. (I’ve been a supervisor before and it gets mighty weird in the room when you try to tell a girl she looks like a whore). So just because a female might have gotten away with it doesng mean they would have been much more okay with it..
Giancarlo85
Their attire is completely unacceptable? What decades are some from on here? The 1950s?
And no, he is not the right term to describe someone who is genderqueer.
If you people have issues with genderqueer, trans or androgynous people that is your own issue.
This person was discriminated against plain and simple. I have seen girls dressed in very skimpy outfits even at the fucking mall during daylight hours. How inconsistent can some be?
I know why many are opposed to Tyler… Tyler disturbs their backwards heternormative views of masculinity. Some here are angry because their masc bullshit facade is under serious threat.
jwtraveler
Is that the way women dress in Austin? I know it’s hot in Texas, but do women regularly go out in just their underwear?
Matthew Hornby
I find this a little silly. Women can walk into a place like that in only a bikini and be served, yet Tyler is denied… Sounds a little stupid to me.
onthemark
Whataburger sounds like a really classy place with high standards. I get it, they just want to keep out the riff raff.
Alas, I hardly ever get to Texas lately (since my passport expired) so I looked up their menu.
But what kind of wine would their sommelier recommend pairing with the Jalapeno and Cheese Whataburger and Onion Rings?
sweetbrandigirl2004
@Giancarlo85: females dressing in Skimpy Outfits and a giuy wear Lingerie into a restarunt are two entirely different things. I guarantee you if a female worn this outfit to a mall she’s get stopped by security and asked to leave. Its just NOT proper attire to wear anywhere but the bedroom !
sweetbrandigirl2004
@Matthew Hornby: a bikini is outerwear lingerie is not outerwear nor is it intended to be worn in public thus it is consider unacceptable for males or females to wear in public. I feel like a female would get denied entry for wearing this too.
Oli1023
@calabrazy55: genderqueer people and non-binary people are under the letter T, usually with an asterisk: T*
Oli1023
@MacAdvisor: @calabrazy55: genderqueer people and non-binary people are under the letter T, usually with an asterisk: T*
Oli1023
@MacAdvisor: “Their” is an appropriate pronoun. In the case where you heard about a person and you don’t know about their gender you say “their” or “them”. That or the rarely used “Xe”
BrianOH
Was there more than one person involved in this? Or was the article just poorly written? They and their and them are plural pronouns, referring to more than one person. He/she, him/her, and his/hers are singular pronouns, referring to one person.
Bottom line: He dressed in lingerie, looking to cause a scene, and get his 15 minutes of fame. Not because he’s dressed like a woman, but because he’s wearing underwear. Looks like he got the attention that he was looking for. How long before his GoFundMe page goes up?
ait10101
@MacAdvisor: “Their” has been used for centuries. Get of your high horse and educate yourself. Chaucer, for example. The Oxford English dictionary sanctions “they” as gender neutral. If someone styles themselves as gender neutral to call them “he” is derogatory. Look it up. You are not only old-fashioned (obsolete language) but you are rude.
Giancarlo85
@sweetbrandigirl2004: Nonsense! And not in states like Nevada or California. I have seen this before in Los Angeles. What part of the country do you live in? Alabama?
Giancarlo85
@BrianOH: You are transphobic and ignorant. You cannot refer to a genderqueer person in a gender pronoun. What decade are you from? The 1950s?
BrianOH
You can’t refer to a single person with a plural pronoun. They/their/them is PLURAL. Tyler is one person. Use a single pronoun, or don’t use a pronoun at all. Want a gender-neutral singular pronoun? Use “it.” Otherwise, you sound ignorant. Where did you learn grammar?
Mikey Acuna
That’s fucked up and I saw home that night it happen
Giancarlo85
@BrianOH: Then since you are such a fucking grammar nazi, refer to that person by their first name or by “individual or person”. You have no right to refer to a genderqueer person by a societal gender construct (he or she, etc). And referring to someone (neutral term) as “it” shows how much of an ignorant bastard you are.
karusf
It’s a standard business practice in Texas to specify “no shoes, no shirt, no service”. If this student wanted to be served, shoes are required nearly everywhere in the state, from the lowliest convenience store to restaurants and other businesses. Even gay-oriented bars require shoes for everyone. Austin is relatively tolerant, probably the most open city in the state, especially near the UT campus where this took place. It isn’t likely that the hubbub was truly gender-related, but the laws and traditions in Texas all lead to reinforcing that a business has the right to refuse service to anyone. If the student had been wearing shoes, or had gone through the drive up (and ALL Whataburgers have drive-through service) it would have been a non-issue. Most likely, some level of intoxication was also a factor, and more to blame than any gender-phobia (or lack-of-gender phobia)
bobmister250
@jason smeds: It’s not about bringing men into line. This is about someone man/woman/whoever that was dressing inappropriately. Take your misogyny somewhere else.
Will L
I side with Whataburger. He’s dressed in a slip like a half-naked hooker and wonders why they won’t let him into a fast food restaurant? If he’s going to party like that, he needs to keep a suitable dress in his bag that he can throw on when they head out for coffee later. I wouldn’t want to have to see that sitting at the next table either.