A transgender activist filmed an exchange with a fast-food worker, berating them for “misgendering.” However, after uploading the video to shame the manager, the activist’s plan backfired in the most satisfying way.
As a self-described transgender female activist, Eden Torres is always aware of the opportunity to name and shame the evil transphobes around every corner. Of course, the latest bigot hunt resulted in Torres being exposed instead of the intended target.
While ordering food at a Sonic Drive-In in Houston, Torres began recording an exchange with the establishment’s manager. Having apparently suffered “discrimination” at the drive-thru, the activist claimed the “entire staff” had engaged in “misgendering” by using the word “sir” instead of “ma’am.”
“Your entire staff has been calling me sir. Why don’t you tell me what we can do now?” Torres demanded. “What about me looks like a sir right now?”
“Look, I’m sorry and I apologize for what happened, okay?” the manager replied. “What else can I tell you?”
Torres continued to question the manager in a baiting manner, trying to get him to slip up in his response. After finally getting the outraged customer to drive out of the line of traffic, the manager attempts once again to de-escalate the situation to no avail.
“If they called you sir, I don’t know why they did that,” he began before being interrupted.
“Because they saw the name on my credit card and they were not being nice people,” Torres retorted.
“They saw your name on the card. What do you want them to tell you?” the manager asked.
Torres becomes even more infuriated by the question, demanding to know what training or policies the franchise has implemented to ensure its employees are “trans competent.” The manager calls Torres “ma’am” in an attempt to calm the outrage, but Torres is determined to make a scene.
“I have been faced with discrimination from your staff,” Torres accused.
“I’m so sorry that you feel discriminated but, I mean, we have employees here…” the manager says before pointing to his “gay” staffers to show that he’s inclusive.
At this point, Torres has reached a boiling point. The activist angrily explains, “I’m not gay,” adding that “we’re talking about my gender identity, not my sexuality.” When the manager asks what pronouns he should use, Torres rejects his attempt to compromise and decides to bait him, asking, “what do you assume looking at me?” After the manager says he assumes Torres is a man, all hell breaks loose.
“What about me is presenting what you would call masculine right now?” Torres fumes.
The manager again apologizes and asks what he can do to remedy the situation. Still, Torres refuses to accept his efforts, insisting that he and his staff members are “transphobic” before leaving.
Despite Torres’ best efforts to publicly shame the manager, social media users sided with the employee.
“These are real slaps to the face of women, bipoc and lgb people getting actually attacked everyday,” one commenter wrote.
“This man is an absolute saint to put up with this level of BS,” another replied.
“‘I would assume you are a man’. You nagged him for an answer and you got one. He’s as entitled to his opinion as the rest of us. Just because you didn’t like what he’s thinking doesn’t mean he will change his own truth to suit your ideas,” another wrote.
“It’s nobody’s job to affirm you,” another replied.
“So the guy asks your pronouns (I thought you all wanted this); you then ask him to assume what he thinks you are (I thought you weren’t supposed to do that?); and then you get pissed at the answer. Literally, there was no way the guy could have won,” another wrote.
The fast-food chain has responded to Torres’ complaint by launching a discrimination investigation. Torres has demanded that the manager and his employees undergo sensitivity training.
It’s clear that Torres was trying to get social media to attack this manager, even going as far as to relentlessly provoke him into giving a response that could cost him his job.
The incident proves that there are those who are willing to abuse their power and privilege to force others into speaking how they want at the risk of losing their jobs, reputations, and livelihoods.
