Fort Lauderdale – New York Grilled Cheese Co., a restaurant in South Florida, defended their transgender employee after she was verbally harassed and cyber bullied.
Mary Bolda, a patron of NYGC’s Wilton Manor location, posted a complaint to the company’s Facebook wall July 26 detailing bad service and a long wait time during her visit to the store over the weekend.
However, patrons who were at the restaurant at the same time as Bolda say she was being disruptive by shouting loudly and calling a transgender waitress, identified as Mia, “he” and “him”. Bolda caused such a commotion that other customers left because they felt uncomfortable, says Sara Shake, a representative for NYGC.
Another customer, River Azevedo, supports the claim that Bolda is the party at fault with a comment that reads: “I was literally there at the same time you were and everything you wrote was a lie. Did you forget that you discriminated against the waitress? Calling her a him over and over again? Did you forget that you stood up and started yelling at everyone.”
The company responded via Facebook with an apology for the wait time, however they refused to tolerate the mistreatment of their employee and would not apologize for defending a member of their staff.
“New York Grilled Cheese is proud to support LGBTQ individuals from all backgrounds, employees and customers alike. We strive to create a safe, gender-neutral space so our patrons and staff feel comfortable and happy,” New York Grilled Cheese Co.’s response reads.
Robin Cross was another NYGC patron who took to the company’s Facebook page to air their grievances against the company’s open acceptance of transgender individuals.
“This place was delicious. But I wouldn’t go back. They only have Transgender bathrooms,” reads Cross’ July 26 comment.
NYGC once again took the opportunity to defend their employee and the transgender community with a response including the following statement: “We believe that every person is born with dignity and humanity, and that includes gender expression. We practice that belief by creating welcoming and inclusive spaces. Our company supports bathroom facilities that are physically accessible (ADA compliant) and open to people of any gender, or “gender neutral”, as an important way to full welcome and inclusion.”
The company has also opted to change all of their social media profile pictures to a “LOVE MIA” graphic, which features a transgender symbol for the “O” and the blue, pink and white stripes of the transgender flag placed over the word Mia, in order to show further support.
Photos courtesy of New York Grilled Cheese Co.
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