Yesterday, we reported that a woman named Melissa Langford, 34, alleges she was subject to a load of homophobic comments and denied service by a foul-mouthed Family Dollar cashier; a confrontation that was caught on video.
Family Dollar now says it’s investigating the incident.
“My mind was blown. I couldn’t believe the things I was hearing this woman say,” Langford told the Times-Picayune. “It’s one thing if it was a customer in line being ignorant with her friends, but this is the cashier.”
Langford says she was the fifth customer in line at the cash register when she overheard the cashier say she hates gay people, that they are “sick,” and “they got somethin’ wrong in they head.”
Related: Watch as a Family Dollar cashier refuses to serve a lesbian customer
After Langford objected, noting that she’s a lesbian, the cashier became combative and refused to ring up her purchases.
After a male customer objected to the cashier’s actions, she refused to serve him as well. The other customer, however, wasn’t about to back down as he confronted the cashier, calling her a “nincompoop” and “asshole.”
She says she contacted the company’s corporate office but no one replied to her complaint. The Times-Picayune also tried to get a statement from the company but was initially met with silence.
Now, the company has released an official statement through Bryn Winburn, their public relations manager:
We take incidents like this very seriously. We have a Code of Ethics in place that ensures inclusion for customers and associates and helps to ensure good customer care.”
“The code specifically forbids unprofessional conduct and comments on sexual orientation, among other matters. Any activity that goes against this code is simply not how we expect our stores to do business. This situation is currently under investigation.”
On Facebook, Langford said she was planning a “peaceful protest” outside that Family Dollar on Wednesday night.
“Everyone is welcome,” she writes. “All I ask is that there is no yelling, or bad energy. We don’t even need signs. We can just blast some Cher and make out.”
Watch the altercation below:
