Transgender woman sues Orlando McDonald's for discrimination

The Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund announced earlier today it has filed a complaint with the Florida Commission on Human Rights against an Orlando area McDonald's after its manager allegedly refused to hire Zikerria Bellamy because she is transgender.

Bellamy, 17, applied online for a shift manager position in July. The teenager said the franchise's manager learned she is transgender and left a homophobic voice mail on her cell phone a few weeks later.



Florida law does not specifically address discrimination based on gender identity, the state's administrative agencies have concluded transgender Floridians are protected under the Florida Human Rights Act's prohibitions on sex and disability discrimination. Lawmakers last month also introduced the Competitive Workforce Bill, which would add both gender identity and sexual orientation to the Florida Civil Rights Act.

McDonald's has yet to respond to Bellamy's allegation.