Don’t call them “sweetie.”
A restaurant worker who uses “they/them” pronouns was awarded $30,000 by a government tribunal after complaining about a manager who refused to abide by the request.
Instead of using Jesse Nelson’s preferred pronouns, the bar manager at Buono Osteria in Gibsons, Canada, repeatedly called Nelson “she,” “sweetheart,” “sweetie,” and “honey,” according to the British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal.
Nelson worked at the restaurant for about four weeks, according to the Vancouver Sun.
Devyn Cousineau, a tribunal member, found Nelson was “fired after their attempt to address this conduct led to a heated encounter,” according to the tribunal decision.
Cousineau found Nelson had been discriminated against, fully awarding the $30,000 sought, with the bar manager individually liable for $10,000 of that.