Yesterday, we reported that a woman named Melissa Langford, 34, alleges she was subject to a load of homophobic comments and denied service by a foul-mouthed Family Dollar cashier; a confrontation that was caught on video.
Family Dollar now says it’s investigating the incident.
Related: Lesbian Customer Refused Service By Homophobic Cashier At Family Dollar Store
“My mind was blown. I couldn’t believe the things I was hearing this woman say,” Langford told the Times-Picayune. “It’s one thing if it was a customer in line being ignorant with her friends, but this is the cashier.”
Langford says she was the fifth customer in line at the cash register when she overheard the cashier say she hates gay people, that they are “sick,” and “they got somethin’ wrong in they head.”
After Langford objected, noting that she’s a lesbian, the cashier became combative and refused to ring up her purchases.
After a male customer objected to the cashier’s actions, she refused to serve him as well. The other customer, however, wasn’t about to back down as he confronted the cashier, calling her a “nincompoop” and “asshole.”
She says she contacted the company’s corporate office but no one replied to her complaint. The Times-Picayune also tried to get a statement from the company but was initially met with silence.
Now, the company has released an official statement through Bryn Winburn, their public relations manager:
We take incidents like this very seriously. We have a Code of Ethics in place that ensures inclusion for customers and associates and helps to ensure good customer care.”
“The code specifically forbids unprofessional conduct and comments on sexual orientation, among other matters. Any activity that goes against this code is simply not how we expect our stores to do business. This situation is currently under investigation.”
On Facebook, Langford said she was planning a “peaceful protest” outside that Family Dollar on Wednesday night.
“Everyone is welcome,” she writes. “All I ask is that there is no yelling, or bad energy. We don’t even need signs. We can just blast some Cher and make out.”
Watch their altercation below.
H/t: LGBTQ Nation
Xzamilio
Nope… I’ve seen all the videos relating to her claim and I’m not believing shit until more comes out. I’m over this whole “believe instantly” crap… that shit has led others –including me — down the wrong path.
DCguy
It took 4 days of bad press before Family Dollar says they will look into it? Interesting.
joeyty
@Xzamilio: You mean you don’t automatically believe Langford’s (the lesbian customer’s) claim ?
brooklynbobby
How can you tell anything from that! As far as I could tell it was just the one guy saying the word “ignorant” over and over again and a lot of incoherent yelling in the background. And the video it’s self didn’t contribute anything to it either. UGH
Tackle
I could not tell what the hell as going on. I heard one Guy: Male… And he sure as hell is not a lesbian..
Tackle
@Xzamilio: I’m with you on that. Too many times, it’s been a completely different story than what was initially reported.
And in my previous post. ( is going on)..
Xzamilio
@joeyty: No… I don’t.
joeyty
@Xzamilio: I just wasn’t sure what you meant. I agree that it’s not good to jump to conclusions in cases like this. And I don’t know, either way, what happened here, but it amazes me how quickly most posters on gay blogs will automatically believe any claim of gay bashing or discrimination without the slightest healthy skepticism….even after frauds have been exposed again and again and again and….
Windsor519
Nearly all these anti-gay confrontations lately have been started by blacks or Hispanics! They’re the ones who hate GLBT people the most.
money718
@Windsor519: Not true.
Billy Budd
@Windsor519: Not true. The WASPs and White Catholics are FAR more bigoted.
joeyty
@Billy Budd: LOL. Uhh…yeah. You can tell that by the states that first legalized gay marriage one by one, right ? (Iowa, Vermont, Massachusetts, and N.H. are so non-white).
seaguy
That is one ghetto family dollar store! Fire that homophobic bitch.
Guy068
@money718: Half true. I’ve had almost zero trouble with Hispanic homophobes in my five decades but constantly run into hateful Blacks. My fellow White folk are by far the worst with most non-US Asians just not seeming to get it.
Guy068
@Tackle: Where has the story changed? I’ve seen the same account down to the poor woman’s quotes being exactly the same every time I’ve clicked on a link looking for more detail? They all even have the video capturing the tail end of the confrontation…
Tackle
@Guy068: I did not say specifically THIS story, but was referencing other so-called LGBTQ abuse in the past. Such as, #1 Dayna Morales the lesbian waitress from NJ, who lied about receiving a anti-gay note in place of a tip. #2 Sarah Bray, who calmed she was barred from visiting her partner’s hospital room.. #3 The Dallas BBQ, so-called gay bashing..#4 The whole foods cake with a anti-gay message on the cake, and Whole Foods is now suing the plaintiff.
To often we LGBTQ people are to quick to make a decision, and rush to defend other LGBTQ people just because they make an accusation. And BTW, have you heard the side of the cashier??
Brian
I also couldn’t tell what was going on from the video. If the alleged behavior of the cashier is proven to be correct, it’s a disgrace.
You shouldn’t be in the hospitality business if you can’t serve all customers politely and without letting your personal views interfere with your service. This is something that a lot of those anti-gay bakers don’t seem to want to understand.
Atldeuce
I reserve judgement on the facts of this altercation until more investigation is done but it is plausible for a couple of reasons. Family Dollar is headquartered in Matthews, NC-home to the anti-GLBT HB2. Family Dollar had a sketchy record on GLBT issues. While they did offer domestic partner benefits, the HR organization was lead by people who were not supporters and struggled with the concept of a Diversity program even though some very high ups in HR (no longer there) may have been closeted gays. They are often self hating and may have many other issues to contend with. So there was little focus and HR training on this issue and what was acceptable behavior in the stores.
*Note that Family Dollar was recently acquired by Dollar Tree.
Mykaels
“My mind was blown. I couldn’t believe the things I was hearing this woman say,”
I can. My god am I the only minority that has not grown up under a rock?
Aromaeus
@joeyty: LOL it’s the lily-white congressmen and politicians pushing for anti-lgbt bills but you know just blame the blacks.
strix1
Wow…this is sort of why I steer clear of these stores…and I do not remember the last time…no, don’t remember EVER I have seen in print or heard someone use the word “nincompoop.” They should bring that word back…it says a lot!
joeyty
@Aromaeus: The African-American population is getting cooler about gays though. All polls show they’re still behind whites and Hispanics, but….getting better. (But that’s beside the point in this case because I’m not convinced the Family Dollar employee is guilty of anything at all).
joeyty
@Tackle: Also Quinn Matney in N.C.; Charlie Rogers in …(Nebraska?); Rick Jones in Delta, Utah. All extravagant lies about gaybashers attacking them with self-inflicted injuries and other forged evidence. And Queerty always reported their initial tales as facts and everyone fell for it.
joeyty
@Tackle: Oh yeah….don’t forget Jeffrey Lafayette, the guy who in February claimed he was set upon and bashed and kicked and spat on in San Francisco by a gang of straight men, just because he was wearing white pants. (Queerty fell for THAT one too).
UltimateSin
@Windsor519: Nearly all of the anti gay laws on the books in this country have been written by whites! They’re the ones who hate GLBT people the most.
There, fixed it for you.
joeyty
@UltimateSin: Most people in the U.S. in power ARE white (at least as far as now). If African-Americans had the same amount of power it would be like Jamaica or Uganda for gays.