Coffee shop fires trans worker for kicking out anti-LGBT conservative
Lincoln, Nebraska coffee shop Cultiva Espresso & Crepes has apologised for the employee’s actions
A coffee shop has sacked a transgender employee who yelled at a right-wing customer who works for an anti-LGBT lobbying group.
Natalie Weiss was let go from her job at Lincoln, Nebraska, coffee shop Cultiva Espresso & Crepes on Wednesday (September 11) after she reportedly shouted at Marilyn Synek, who is employed by the Nebraska Family Alliance.
Synek’s employers oppose LGBT+ discrimination protections and transgender rights, attacking policies that treat trans people “without regard to their biological sex”.
Speaking to the right-wing Washington Examiner, Synek claimed she was “asked to leave and informed that if I tried to come back, I would be denied service because of my ‘bigoted’ views”.
Synek says she was described as “bigoted trash” by the employee, who told her: “You are not f**king wanted in our restaurant, so get out and don’t come back.”
Coffee shop: Anyone is welcome in our store
In a public statement, the coffee shop confirmed: “There was an incident at our store this morning wherein an employee lashed out at a customer over political/religious beliefs. The employee was fired almost immediately.”
Marilyn Synek is employed by the anti-LGBT Nebraska Family Alliance
The owners continued: “While we’re proudly liberal personally, and believe in human rights and diversity to the fullest degree, let it be known that we would *never* condone treating a customer this way.
“We’re running a business, and we try to instil professionalism in our staff, usually successfully… we’d like everyone to know that anyone is welcome in our stores anytime, as long as they’re not harassing customers or staff members, committing crimes [or] damaging property.
“Whatever your race, religion, gender identity, or general political beliefs, we just want you to enjoy our food and coffee, and have a good time, and tell other people you had a good time.
“We’re sorry there was a moment when that didn’t happen today.”
Sacked employee: Nebraska Family Alliance lobbies for discrimination
The sacked employee, Natalie Weiss, said in a Facebook post that she recognised Synek as “an employee of the Nebraska Family Alliance, and a former member of [Republican Senator] Ben Sasse’s campaign staff.”
She added: “If you’re unfamiliar with Sasse’s, or the Nebraska Family Alliance’s stance on the LGBT2QIA+ community, and our rights as Nebraskans to experience equality under the law and enjoy employment and housing non discrimination protections, I encourage you to look them up. They’re real peaches.
“Nebraskans like myself do lose our jobs, and sometimes our living arrangements, because of who we are, and people like the Nebraska Family Alliance are why. ”
She added: “When this person was leaving the store, I told them in no uncertain terms, and admittedly vulgar ones, that they were not welcome to come back. For that, I have lost my employment.
“So, for those keeping track, in Nebraska, you can be fired or lose your home because you identify in the LGBT2QIA+ umbrella, and you can also be fired for telling people who fight for that status quo to get lost.”
