Pizza shop apologises for Caitlyn Jenner bathroom signs
Caitlyn Jenner
A pizza shop in has apologised for bathroom signs featuring Caitlyn Jenner.
Dacosta’s Pizza Bakery in Worcester, Massachusetts, was criticised online after pictures of its bathroom doors were shared on Facebook.
The men’s door featured a picture of Caitlyn Jenner pre-transition as an athlete, while the women’s door featured a picture of Caitlyn Jenner post-transition.
After the pictures blew up online, Dacosta’s was barraged with negative reviews from supporters of transgender rights — and subsequently barraged with positive reviews from opponents of transgender rights.
The pizza shop told Patch that the signs, which have been up for more than two years, will be removed.
The bathroom sign (Dacosta’s Pizza Bakery)
Owner Marc Felicio wrote on November 9: “I thought this was clever and light-hearted attempt at humour. I never meant to hurt anyone, but clearly I was wrong.”
He added: “These signs have hurt the transgender community, and for that i am sincerely sorry.
“I may have a tiny penis… BUT I HAVE NO HATE FOR ANYONE.”
“I will be taking the signs down in the morning and i will be sending a heartfelt apology to each and every one of you who reached out to me.”
In a separate post, Felicio confirmed he had taken the signs down and bizarrely referred to his own penis.
Caitlyn Jenner, whose image was used on bathroom doors.
Felicio wrote on November 10: “Well the signs are down… but your favourite pizza man is still up
“I may have a tiny penis and a huge bush… I may be a sarcastic d-bag, a narcissist and I may be large and ‘bulky’. BUT I HAVE NO HATE FOR ANYONE.”
Felicio also announced that all profits on November 13 will go towards a local homeless charity, adding: “I don’t care what bathroom you use. Just wash your hands when your [sic] done!”
Caitlyn Jenner has not responded to the row, though she was preoccupied by a wildfire at her home.
The row over the signs comes the week after the state of Massachusetts overwhelmingly voted to keep a transgender anti-discrimination law, rejecting a ballot measure aimed at repealing the provisions. Opponents had heavily played on ‘bathroom’ fears in the run-up to the vote.
1,781,041 people in the state voted to keep the anti-discrimination law (67.8 percent) to 846,804 (32.2 percent) who voted for repeal.
Not the first Caitlyn Jenner bathroom signs
Another business, Dodie’s Place Cajun Bar & Grill in Allen, Texas, came under fire in November 2017 after attempting to pull off the same gag.
One bathroom door showed the star representing the US in the 1976 Olympic Games pre-transition, while the latter is her Vanity Fair cover shoot.
Caitlyn Jenner (Greg Doherty/Getty)
Despite criticism online, the doors attracted support from people with anti-LGBT views locally.
One commenter wrote “To All ‘Sexual Deviants,’ While It Is Your Right To Live Your Life As A Sexual Deviant, You Must Remember This, No Matter What You May Believe.
“There Are Only Two Genders In This World, Anything Else Is A Mental Problem, Yours, Not Mine! Deviant Sexual Behavior Is Still, Deviant Sexual Behavior!
“Homosexuality, Transgender, Pedophilia, Lesbianism, Gay, Whatever You Call It, It Is ALL Still The Same! It Is Deviant Sexual Behavior!”
