Quote Originally Posted by LeaP View Post
I think bigotry is exactly the right word. You can toss in ignorance and a few other choice terms, too.

People who are merely being themselves aren't "thrusting" themselves on people any more than gay people are "forcing their lifestyle" on people. Having rights also requires no sensitivity on the part of others, else rights never have teeth.

I'm dual-minded on the employer question. I think true family businesses (meaning small businesses who employ ONLY immediate family members) should fall into the arena of personal association rights. Businesses who employ members of the public should not be permitted to discriminate - period. I regard business owners who discriminate as personally and primarily responsible for perpetuating the culture of discrimination in business. Passing this off on customers is cowardly, even if the concern sometimes has some basis in reality. After all, one (hopefully) doesn't START discriminating if a customer objects to, say, the race of an employee.
I have to disagree with you Lea. By definition: A person who is utterly intolerant of any differing creed, belief, or opinion. I am not a bigot by that definition simply because I don't believe a crossdresser or anyone has the right to dress the way they want to dress in the work place. I am not intolerant of crossdresser, gays or transexuals in any way. But if I was a business owner I have the right and responsibility to make a profit in order to survive. I strongly feel a crossdresser would make my customers uneasy, uncomfortable, embarrassed orotherwise cause them to do business elsewhere. I am a crossdresser, so how can you say I am bigoted just because I feel there is a time and place for everything. The work place is not one of them. What someone does on their own time, including me, is no one's business.
In a retail store where there are sales people waiting on the customer, the manner of dress and looks is very important to the success of that business. If I was selling high end clothes, furniture, or anything where the public has to deal with a sales person, I would not hire someone with tattoos all over their body, piercings in their nose, brows, lips and tongues. It would ruin the professional image of the store. now if I was selling things that attract those with the tats and piercings, I then would hire them to wait on like minded people.

This is not being a bigot, it's being a smart businessman.