Quote Originally Posted by DeeInGeorgia View Post
To ShariM, you seem to forget that the excuse you suggest fir the employer was used as a justification to not employ people of color, people with disabilities, gays, women in the recent past or even now. That customers are offended is because of their own bigotry.
An employer is in business to earn a living, and in so doing enables his employees to earn their living. This involves putting the customer first, regardless of their personal opinions and beliefs. Before a customer's desires can be ignored, the impact on the business has to be weighed carefully. The examples you list are not out of the ordinary, and I cannot think of any employer losing business in this day and age because he hired any of them. Crossdressing on the job is not yet anywhere near being a normal situation.

Secondly, a customer does not necessarily have to be offended in order to feel uncomfortable in a given situation. Having a crossdresser unexpectedly handle his or her transaction could be a bit unnerving because it is anything but a normal everyday experience for most people. Bigotry is a pretty strong word to apply to ordinary people who suddenly have something completely out of the ordinary thrust at them. We want people to be sensitive to our needs, but I don't think we can expect that unless we are willing to be sensitive to their feelings as well.

Veronica