LGBT News Trans teen humiliated by woolworths’ staff

Aside from the laughing (which is way out of line for an employee), it seems rather... Woolworth's wasn't wrong.

If someone looks underage and tries to buy cigarettes, and they look nothing like their ID, then what?

I understand the struggle, but you have to understand the cashier's side. What if it was an underage boy with his older sister's ID? Then they would have committed a crime by selling to them.

There was no way for the employee to verify it, other than by the person's word. But that just goes backk to what if it was an underage person with someone else's ID?

 

I agree with Tim actually.. I think the only think that was not right was the laughing, but it is against the law for them to sell cigarettes to underage people or someone who they can't verify their ID, so I don't think they were out of line to be totally honest.. Apart from the laughing..

I do come up against this in my job where the person on the phone might sound female, but might have male on the database, so if they are a trans person.. I can't verify that.. To me it could be a female ringing up on behalf of her son, husband, brother etc and I have to send them into the office with identification if I am not satisfied.. My job is a government job which I will not mention, but it has very sensitive information and we are bound by privacy laws and can't give out any information to anyone if we aren't satisfied that we have that person on the phone.

I do think we need to be a little more sensitive and most definitely should not be laughing or sarcastic, I always try to be very diplomatic and polite, however I could lose my job if I give information to someone I feel isn't the right person and I am not prepared to do that.. I am guessing woolworths have a similar policy on not selling cigarettes and alcohol to minors or people they can't verify their ID.. I do think it's wrong they staff member treated him this way and laughed, but there has to be rules and regulations for a reason.. If he is changing that much, that he is not recognized, he could always go back in and get his photo updated on his license so it is easier for him to show his ID.

 

I agree. It may very well suck that this guy can't buy smokes with his own ID, but there's nothing anyone can do about his photo no longer looking like him.

 

Well, I live pretty darn far from these people. I hope that the lady gets fired and that they hire someone else. That's really unprofessional and was way out of line. I feel sorry for the person that had to put up with that ridiculing :/.

 

this is one of those headlines that is trying to provoke response and dont even tell half a story

well, refusing to believe is a different story, but the ID should still say the same age, right?

so the news person is from Wollongong, what's the legal age in australia again?

 

For all we know the cashier had a boy standing in front of him with a girl on the ID card. A transgender boy would most likely still look younger because the female features. Therefor if I was an ignorant cashier had a young looking boy standing in front of me showing a girl ID wanting to buy cigarettes I'd laugh too.

But then again it could have just as well been an ignorant and rude cashier

 

That poor young man. If I were that cashier I woulda gave him cigarettes on the house, and my number.

 

Ok, you definitely pass... Now, seriously, this is the kind of situation where I'd complain : First to the manager, best thing to do is to write a formal complain... I mean, if he didn't had any problems before (I asume a week before or so), why is he having problems now? You need to set a clear policy about how to behave, for ALL your employees... The question is how many times this person got no troubles versus this time. If this was the only time, then clearly would be that particular cashier's fault.

The behaviour of the employee was an indicator of the quality of the management of that particular shop. It is shameful that cheap stores hire personal that acts this cheap... They are a shame for the other well educated, professional coworkers. That 'employee' should be fired right on the spot.

Easiest solution is to renew all the documents with a recent photograph, to avoid being in such a situation again, but I guess that would be a bureaucratic nightmare over there...

 

Woolworths to be clear, is no little corner shop, they are a major and quite a big supermarket chain in Australia

 

There was nothing wrong with the situation, I mean if the photo doesn't look like you then its obvious to reject the I.D.. He should have renewed it.

I know they were laughing, but I think it was suppose to be offensive.

 

Perhaps some training on transgender issues for people who check ID's as part of their jobs would be in order. At least for larger companies, if not all venues.
On the other hand, if the photo is that unrecognizable, the teen should really find a way to replace the ID.
And quit smoking.

 

Yeah, I know them... Here they have a few shops, and I think in england as well. I won't make them more 'popular' than they are, not even by writing their damned names. You've got the whole city covered in pretentious advertisement everytime a particular 'new' smartphone appears.