Retailer inflexible about controversial policy
A well-known chain of department stores won’t surrender on its transgender policy, compelling a national organization to issue a warning – especially to women and children.
In July, OneNewsNow reported on the situation of Macy’s security guard Javier Chavez, a 26-year employee at the flagship New York store. Rick Henshaw of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights explains that Chavez responded to an urgent in-store request.
“He was called because a woman and her young daughter were upset with a man in the lady’s room,” Henshaw recalls, “and he went and told [the man] he couldn’t use the lady’s room – and a controversy ensued. The man complained to management, which informed Javier Chavez that Macy’s policy was that a transgender man could use the lady’s room.”
Chavez responded he would comply with the policy even though it violated the tenets of his faith – yet he was fired. He then filed a complaint with the New York State Division of Human Rights alleging discrimination on the basis of religion.