Trans discrimination at Elliston Place IHOP leads to swift action, retraining

The full staff of the International House of Pancakes restaurant at Elliston Place off of West End Avenue will be retrained in customer service expectations as a result of an incident involving a visiting group of transgender people on Monday.

Students attending a training session for Southern LGBTQ advocacy say they were originally refused service by a restaurant server because one of their group brought their service dog with them, as originally reported by the Dallas Morning News and The Tennessean.

The group was left waiting for over 30 minutes when they requested another server, as employees stared at them and other customers were being served, according to the sources.The group left the restaurant soon after without being served.

Mr. Emmett Schelling, a transman attending the Nashville-based training as Executive Director of the Transgender Education Network of Texas, posted to his personal Facebook account a brief retelling of the incident, along with a request for readers to call the customer service complaint number displayed on the restaurant door.

Schelling believes the server used the presence of a colleague's service dog as a reason to deny service to an openly LGBTQ group, according to the News report.

The social media publicity generated by the incident prompted local transgender activist Dr. Marisa Richmond to make a personal trip to the restaurant the following day to investigate. She posted to her Facebook account that she had talked with the restaurant manager about the incident.

“Excuse me, ALLEGED incident,” quoting the manager in her account. Richmond was told that the restaurant was in possession of the video recording of the incident and referred all her questions to the corporate spokesperson, refusing to comment further.

Tennessee Transgender Political Coalition President Emma Frye issued a statement condemning the poor treatment of LGBTQ patrons, noting that the likelihood of incidents such as this one have increased as a result of Tennessee political leaders continually submitting anti-LGBTQ legislation for discussion.

“Leadership conferences such as this one...benefit the area where they take place,” Frye said in the statement. “ incidents such as this lower The Prestige of Nashville, and Tennessee...by  promoting the idea that this is an unwelcoming Place. Many events (and potential businesses) take these types of incidence into account when investigating potential venues. Unfortunately, this is affecting Nashville's reputation.”

The ownership group of the Elliston Place based IHOP franchise were reportedly attempting to personally apologize to the LGBTQ patrons involved, according to IHOP spokesperson Stephanie Peterson.

“They were made aware of the incident shortly after it happened, and they immediately began an investigation,” Peterson told Out & About Nashville by phone. They believe that the primary reason for the poor treatment was related to the issue of the dog with a member of the group, but that was no excuse for extremely poor customer service.

“(IHOP) has looked into the service issues and as a result the entire team will be retrained Thursday on sensitive issues such as this,” Peterson said. “Neither IHOP nor its operators tolerate discrimination in any way. It is not part of our brand, nor our beliefs.”



CORRECTION: an earlier version of this article incorrectly spelled Mr. Emmett Schelling's last name. We apologize for the error.



 

WhistlePig + Alfa Romeo F1

SHOREHAM, VT (September 13, 2023) — WhistlePig Whiskey, the leaders in independent craft whiskey, and Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake are waving the checkered flag on a legend-worthy release that’s taking whiskey to G-Force levels. The Limited Edition PiggyBack Legends Series: Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake Barrel is a high Rye Whiskey selected by the Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake drivers, with barrels trialed in their wind tunnel to ensure a thrilling taste in every sip.

The third iteration in WhistlePig’s Single Barrel PiggyBack Legends Series, the Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake Barrel is bottled at 96.77 proof, a nod to Valtteri Bottas’ racing number, 77, and the precision of racing. Inspired by Zhou Guanyu, the first Chinese F1 driver, this Rye Whiskey is finished with lychee and oolong tea. Herbal and floral notes of the oolong tea complement the herbaceous notes of WhistlePig’s signature PiggyBack 100% Rye, rounded out with a juicy tropical fruit finish and a touch of spice.

Keep readingShow less
by Spectrum Medical Care Center

Nurse Practitioner Ari Kravitz

When I started medical transition at 20 years old, it was very difficult to get the care I needed for hormone replacement therapy because there are very few providers trained in starting hormones for trans people, even though it’s very similar to the hormones that we prescribe to women in menopause or cisgender men with low testosterone.

I hope more providers get trained in LGBTQ+ healthcare, so they can support patients along their individual gender journey, and provide the info needed to make informed decisions about their body. I’ve personally seen my trans patients find hope and experience a better quality of life through hormone replacement therapy.

Keep readingShow less

Descanso Resort swimming pool and lounge area

Descanso Resort, Palm Springs' premier destination for gay men, just received Tripadvisor's highest honor, a Travelers' Choice "Best of the Best" award for 2023. Based on guests' reviews and ratings, fewer than 1% of Tripadvisor's 8 million listings around the world receive the coveted "Best of the Best" designation. Descanso ranked 12th in the top 25 small inns and hotels category in the United States. Quite an accomplishment!

Open less than two years, Descanso Resort offers gay men a relaxing and luxurious boutique hotel experience just minutes away from Palm Springs' buzziest restaurants, nightclubs, and shopping. Descanso has quickly established itself as a top destination for sophisticated gay travelers, earning hundreds of 5-star guest reviews and consistently ranking in Trapadvisor's top positions alongside brother properties Santiago Resort and Twin Palms Resort.

Keep readingShow less