McDonalds Attack Again: Employee Assaults Transgender Woman

Last year Chrissy Polis was beaten nearly to death while an employee laughed and filmed it. McDonald's corporation ignored a 150,000 people who signed a petition requesting that Corporate instigate a company wide transgender education awareness program for their employees.

Just recently another transgender person suffered at a McDonald's restaurant. Ranae Cole Vogelsong wasn't physically attacked, but was repeatedly humiliated, intentionally by one of the owners employees, in front of other patrons while in line. Words hurt, they can even kill. The pain Ranae suffer at this McDonald's was inflicted maliciously, the employee assaulting her in such a way as to leave a permanent scar on her soul, which is the same intention as the people who attacked Chrissy.

Ranae Cole Vogelsong writes about the incident at the McDonald's located inside the Love's Gas Station Marion IN on February 29

"Myself being a transgender person living 24/7 as myself, I was inline at the register to place my order as the young lady behind the counter looked up and with out holding anything back busted out laughing at my face with another costumer standing next to me. Totally embarrassed as she tried to control herself I placed my order. She is still letting out little smirks. I filled my iced tea cup came back to the counter and got my food went to leave and as I rounded the corner of the archway she again started to laugh loudly."

"I felt degraded, embarrassed, disrespected and very humiliated. Went out to my semi truck and cried from the utter dis-respect and the making me feel so belittled in front of other fellow drivers and the public.

Despite numerous attempts the owner has not offered Ranae the one thing that would help her to recover, an apology. That's, all a simple "I'm sorry you were made to feel bad."

Ranae was again disrespected as the owner told her not to "Make a mountain out of a molehill".

This incident is the result of corporate McDonald's refusal to take social responsibility and leaves us with only one avenue to respond. We need to address each and every one of these incidents individually with force, making it clear to the owners, if their employees should disrespect or assault our community there will be consequences. Other McDonald's owners will take note of our outrage and seek to avoid such incidents.

***Update*** The owner of the McDonald's store, Rick Reichenbach returned my call. Mr. Reichenbach offered a much different accounting of the events proceeding the incident, but did not deny it happened. However, unfortunately Mr. Reichenbach declined to go on record or to offer a statement. That is too bad because if what Mr. Reichenbach offered was in fact the truth it would put this incident in a different light and I would be obligated as a blogger of integrity to relay it accurately to you.

But it begs the question, why did Mr. Reichendach call me, a blogger, columnist and activist to discuss this if his intention was not to go on record?

Check out Boycott Non-Transgender friendly McDonald's in Marion, Ind

And please contact the office and owner of the McDonald's, Rick & Rhonda Reichenbach dba:

M-R Partnership
618 North Meridian Street
Portland, IN 47371
(260) 726-6518

McDonald's Corporation:

1-800-244-6227
7 days a week
7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. CST

Hennepin County Attorney: Do Not Prosecute Cece McDonald For Being a Black Trans Woman

Cece's hearing is scheduled for April 24th. We will "STAND OUR GROUND" with Cece!

From the Petition: "Last summer, CeCe McDonald, a young African American transgender woman, was violently attacked in the heart of South Minneapolis. As she and several friends, also African American and queer or allied, were walking to the grocery store, a group of white adults standing outside of a bar started shouting racist and transphobic insults at them, calling the youth "faggots," "niggers," and "chicks with dicks". Tragically, the violence did not stop there- one of the white adults slashed CeCe across the face with a broken bottle, cutting all the way through her cheek, and another of the attackers was fatally stabbed. Amazingly, in the aftermath of this racist and transphobic attack, the only person facing charges is CeCe McDonald- the victim. Michael Freeman, the Hennepin County Attorney, has charged CeCe with two counts of second degree murder. Because of these charges, she has been unable to recover from the attack and prevented from continuing her studies at the Minneapolis Community Technical College. Considering that County Attorney Michael Freeman has dropped charges in similar situations this year and that he has advocated strongly for programs to keep kids in school, arguing "We all know that when kids miss school they don't learn," why is Michael Freeman ruthlessly going after this young student? We refuse to allow racism and transphobia, on Minneapolis streets or in Minneapolis courts. We support CeCe. We are waiting for County Attorney Michael Freeman to honor his commitment, in his words "to serve all of our citizens with understanding, dignity, and respect" by dropping the charges against CeCe McDonald."

Source: Support Cece Wordpress While Chrishaun “CeCe” McDonald is being prosecuted for murder after being violently attacked for her race and gender, Freeman’s office recently declined to prosecute the killer of Darrell Evanovich, a black man who was shot dead by a white man after an alleged robbery. While no person should be thrown to the mercy of the soulless, so-called “justice” system, the fact that CeCe is on trial after being assaulted, while a white man who killed someone after chasing them down is touted as a “good Samaritan,” highlights the racist and transphobic nature of the prosecution of CeCe. Hennepin County Attorney Michael Freeman and Marlene Senechal have the power to drop the charges against CeCe. So far, though, he has implicitly sided with CeCe’s white supremacist attackers by failing to acknowledge the racist, transphobic assault that she survived as a mitigating factor in the unintentional death of Dean Schmitz.

When: ALL DAY Where: From home, work, wherever you find yourself!

What: Call Michael Freeman at 612-348-5540, fax at 612-348-2042, and email at citizeninfo@co.hennepin.mn.us

Call Marlene Senechal at 612-348-5561, fax at 612-348-3061, and email at citizeninfo@co.hennepin.mn.us
(and please send us an email us at mpls4cece(a)gmail.com to let us know you called/emailed/faxed in!)

Remember to remain polite but assertive. Some key points to mention in your calls, emails, and faxes are:

•Identify yourself as a supporter, friend, family member, or community member calling about Ms. Chrishaun McDonald’s case.•Tell the County Attorney’s Office why you’re concerned: Ms. McDonald was the target of a hate crime, but she was singled out for aggressive prosecution after the attack.•County Attorney Freeman has declined to press charges in cases like this at least three times already this year. Remind him that he has the power to drop the charges against Ms. McDonald.•Tell Freeman and Senechal not to side with Ms. McDonald’s white supremacist attackers: drop the charges against Ms. McDonald.Tell Hennepin County Attorney Michael Freeman and Assistant Attorney Marlene Senechal to take a stand against hate, racism, and transphobia. Tell Freeman and Senechal to DROP THE CHARGES against Chrishaun McDonald!

Please send us an email us at mpls4cece(a)gmail.com to let us know you called/emailed/faxed in!


Visit Support Cece Wordpress to find out more on how you can stand your ground with Cece!