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I have to start this off by saying I am transgendered. I live full time as a woman but was born a man.
I am writing this story here mostly because it does differ from my normal interraction with customer service people and sometimes you guys need a pat on the back for making people feel welcome in your stores even when it might be hard for you due to your beliefs. This is an odd experience I had at A walmart. I say it is odd because normally when I go into one of their stores I find their staff to be professional and not so prone to falling over themselves trying to get a look at the drag queen. I have noticed that they do employ a rather diverse workstaff and I often see disabled poeple or short people working in their stores. For someone like me that sort of openness is really great and I appreciate it very much.
This day I was visiting a friend in Alabama. My friend's liver has failed and because of this he looks very sickly and would be what some might say is a disgusting site to look at. I am not trying to be mean to him, but merely giving you an idea about his condition. So, he needs a hand cleaning up and he needs someone to go out to the store and get some supplies for him. It is very tiring for a person with liver failure to do normal things. So, I went out for him.
Now, I understand I am in the middle of redneck Alabama and I am going out shopping. I don't have any guy clothing with me so I wear a dress. Still I probably would have gone out as a girl even if I did have guys clothing with me. Anyway. I chose to go to walmart because in my experience though the customers may be assholes it seems their staff is diverse and welcoming. So, if there is a problem I will be safer there.
Well, there is a problem, and while shopping one of those dirtbag customers who I am sure you all hate dealing with comes buy and tells me that she has told security about me and that they will stop me. I shrug it off and actually feel bad for the person who has to deal with this asshole. I am sure that this person is probably hard to handle. Next thing I know a manager comes over and tells me that I have to leave the store. I asked them why and they told me that it was because I was exposing myself to other customers. Needless to say I was not doing anything of the sort. So, I politely told the manage that the person who is complaining is obviously lying and I would never do such a thing. I also tell them to check their cameras which would clearly show that I was only shopping. They insisted that I had to leave. I said if I was breaking the law they would call the police and have me arrested and that was not the case. They did allow me to purchase some of the cleaning supplies I had and go.
Now, if this was the end of the story It would still be interesting. However, it does go on. So, I am leaving the parking lot and driving away and a cop car pulls up behind me. It seems that they did call the cops on me. So, I get pulled over and it turns out the officer was told that I was going around the store in a drug induced fit exposing myself to people and being a general asshole. The Alabama police officer quickly realized the problem. He was very respectful and if there was a person doing what he was told he would need to respond to it.
Nothing happened after that. The ran my Identification and I went on my way. I stopped down the road to pick up the rest of the things in a CVS and was not bothered.
I am telling such a story for a purpose. Not all of us suck, and we do see the efforts you make in welcoming people into your respective stores. That profesional attitude is appreciated when it comes around
I am writing this story here mostly because it does differ from my normal interraction with customer service people and sometimes you guys need a pat on the back for making people feel welcome in your stores even when it might be hard for you due to your beliefs. This is an odd experience I had at A walmart. I say it is odd because normally when I go into one of their stores I find their staff to be professional and not so prone to falling over themselves trying to get a look at the drag queen. I have noticed that they do employ a rather diverse workstaff and I often see disabled poeple or short people working in their stores. For someone like me that sort of openness is really great and I appreciate it very much.
This day I was visiting a friend in Alabama. My friend's liver has failed and because of this he looks very sickly and would be what some might say is a disgusting site to look at. I am not trying to be mean to him, but merely giving you an idea about his condition. So, he needs a hand cleaning up and he needs someone to go out to the store and get some supplies for him. It is very tiring for a person with liver failure to do normal things. So, I went out for him.
Now, I understand I am in the middle of redneck Alabama and I am going out shopping. I don't have any guy clothing with me so I wear a dress. Still I probably would have gone out as a girl even if I did have guys clothing with me. Anyway. I chose to go to walmart because in my experience though the customers may be assholes it seems their staff is diverse and welcoming. So, if there is a problem I will be safer there.
Well, there is a problem, and while shopping one of those dirtbag customers who I am sure you all hate dealing with comes buy and tells me that she has told security about me and that they will stop me. I shrug it off and actually feel bad for the person who has to deal with this asshole. I am sure that this person is probably hard to handle. Next thing I know a manager comes over and tells me that I have to leave the store. I asked them why and they told me that it was because I was exposing myself to other customers. Needless to say I was not doing anything of the sort. So, I politely told the manage that the person who is complaining is obviously lying and I would never do such a thing. I also tell them to check their cameras which would clearly show that I was only shopping. They insisted that I had to leave. I said if I was breaking the law they would call the police and have me arrested and that was not the case. They did allow me to purchase some of the cleaning supplies I had and go.
Now, if this was the end of the story It would still be interesting. However, it does go on. So, I am leaving the parking lot and driving away and a cop car pulls up behind me. It seems that they did call the cops on me. So, I get pulled over and it turns out the officer was told that I was going around the store in a drug induced fit exposing myself to people and being a general asshole. The Alabama police officer quickly realized the problem. He was very respectful and if there was a person doing what he was told he would need to respond to it.
Nothing happened after that. The ran my Identification and I went on my way. I stopped down the road to pick up the rest of the things in a CVS and was not bothered.
I am telling such a story for a purpose. Not all of us suck, and we do see the efforts you make in welcoming people into your respective stores. That profesional attitude is appreciated when it comes around
) Idiot Manager should have at least reviewed the tapes so as to see that redneck was being an ass.
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