Group Says Walmart's Silence on Trans Bathrooms Gives Bigotry a Free Pass

Making Change at Walmart, the national campaign to change Walmart into a more responsible employer, and UFCW OUTreach, a constituency group dedicated to building mutual support between the The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW)'s International, regions, and locals and the LGBT community, issued a joint statement regarding reports that a Connecticut woman says she was harassed in a Walmart bathroom by someone who mistook her as transgender.

"Across the country, stores are proudly showing their support for the transgender community by either providing unisex bathrooms or by publicly announcing that transgender people are free to use the bathroom that matches their gender identity. Yet, Walmart has not followed suit. Their silence is not only callous, it is dangerous," read the joint statement.

"It allows bigotry, like the incident in Connecticut, to get a free pass. As the world's largest retailer, Walmart has a responsibility to make sure all customers and employees, no matter their race, sex, religion, sexuality�or gender identity, feel welcome and safe in their stores."

On Monday, The New York Daily News reported on an incident that took place last week at a Walmart in Danbury, Connecticut, where a Aimee Toms, a 22-year-old cisgender woman, was approached in the ladies room by a woman who yelled, "You are not supposed to be here! You need to leave!" The woman then flipped off Toms, told her she's "disgusting" and stormed out, Toms said according to the NYDN.

According to their website, Making Change at Walmart is a campaign challenging Walmart to help rebuild our economy and strengthen working families. Anchored by the United Food & Commercial Workers (UFCW), they are a coalition of Walmart associates, union members, small business owners, religious leaders, community organizations, women's advocacy groups, multi-ethnic coalitions, elected officials and ordinary citizens who believe that changing Walmart is vital for the future of our country.