Amid the controversy surrounding transgender individuals using public bathrooms one McDonald’s franchise in Seattle Wash. is very clear on their policy.
Huffpost reported that Tuesday a Reddit user posted a photo of a memo hung in a downtown Seattle, Wash., McDonald’s. “This was posted up in my local McDonald’s. Made me smile,” the user wrote.
The memo dated March 24, 20065 reads in part,
“We respect the rights of all customers and employees. We believe all people must have access to safe and dignified bathroom facilities regardless of their gender identity or expression. Therefore, the following policy has been adopted for this restaurant at 1530 3rd Avenue … Employees and customers may use any restroom that corresponds with and is based upon the gender identity they publicly and exclusively assert or express.”
The letter went viral Wednesday.
The Huffington Post asked McDonald’s whether this memo is in line with the company’s present-day practices. A spokeswoman explained that independent franchisees around the nation set their own practices and policies.
“This specific decision was made by one of our franchisees for his restaurant,” U.S. Media Relations Manager Ofelia Casillas told HuffPost in an email on Wednesday. But, she added, all Golden Arches stand for equal rights.
David Santillanes, the current owner and operator of the downtown Seattle McDonald’s, told HuffPost that this particular message reflects how he treats employees and customers overall.
“Making sure my employees and customers are treated with dignity and respect is a priority for me,” he told HuffPost in an email. “This notice reaffirms my commitment to my employees and customers and underscores my restaurant’s compliance with applicable law.”
“We work hard to maintain a positive restaurant environment,” he added, “in which everyone feels valued and accepted.”
