this post was submitted on 23 Jun 2023
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I 100% consider myself an ally of the lgbtq+ community.
Its just not worth putting a target on your employees back these days. Lunatics coming in, harassing and assaulting minimum age workers because of colors on the wall.
Employees think they want it.. but they aren't prepared for the backlash that would ensue (nor should they, they're baristas for fuck sake).
Acquiescing makes the queer community more vulnerable and many of these employees are themselves queer.
Standing up to hate is the correct thing. Rubbing your position in bigot's faces is the correct thing. Pulling a Gary Bettman and pretending anti-queer hate is something which can be ignored away is taking the side of and emboldening oppression.
How can you ask our baristas and target employees to do the right thing when our police, politicians, etc. can not?
Security guards were shot in the head at convenient stores for asking customers to mask up during the pandemic. I don't expect the 16 year old kid making my coffee to stand up to a right wing lunatic. Our children and minimum wage workers should not be on the front lines of human rights issues in my opinion.
So your suggestion is to embolden the fascists who would threaten 16 year olds with guns? Your solution to the location of the front line is to surrender to those who would move that line to the homes and rooms of some of these same cashiers and baristas? You think giving in to threats will make those threats go away?
The moral responsibility of all people is to oppose hate.
The responsibility for the safety of workers from attack rests with their employers.
Clearly the solution is to make the stores even gayer and pay for as much security as it takes to keep the workers safe from those who take offense.
Giving in will make everyone less safe, appeasement never works.
What I'm worried about is the engagement they're getting, I wouldn't be surprised if they went from "let's put pride stuff to produce engagement off conservatives" to "let's put pride stuff to produce engagement off conservatives and THEN take it away to produce engagement off progressives"
Here in Seattle, soooo many businesses have pride flags and the like year round. It doesn't put a target on anyone's back.