A transgender support group in Anchorage was harassed during a recent meeting at Denny’s restaurant and now the Denny’s corporate office is backing out of a proposed diversity training for the local staff. Anja co-founded the trans support group and their TransAlaska Pipeline website. She sent this message to Bent Alaska:

After the ugly incident that ocurred here in Anchorage, Alaska on December 27, 2009 in which a Denny’s manager openly pointed out and made fun of a group of trangendered people TO OTHER CUSTOMERS in the crowded restaurant, we were led to believe that Denny’s would be subjecting their employees to sensitivity training concerning transpeople as an acceptable resolution.

We have been more than diplomatic in dealing with them, requesting that the manager who incited the incident not be fired, but instead be required to attend an Identity, Inc. sensitivity training.

Denny’s obviously took this as a sign of weakness, and is trying to ignore the whole incident now.

It appears that Denny’s corporate is now pushing this off as a local matter to be swept under the carpet with NO action taken anywhere.

We must take a stand on this. To all of my sisters and brothers out there who are tired of being discriminated against, PLEASE write a letter/e-mail of concern to Denny’s Corporate. Let them know that doing nothing about this is unacceptable, and that it must never be allowed to happen again.

Go to the national Denny’s contact page, click the “Email Us” link and voice your concerns.

Denny’s was involved in a series of lawsuits in the 1990’s involving servers denying or providing inferior service to racial minorities, especially African-American customers. After a $54.4 million settlement, Denny’s created a racial sensitivity training program for all its employees.

Last year, Denny’s lost a transgender bias case in Maine. “This company needs diversity training to understand what it means to be gender-nonconforming,” said Betsy Smith, executive director of Equality Maine.