Trans Starbucks Employees Say The Company Is Letting Them Down
Summary
While many have praised the spot for what it represents, its also drawn complaints from trans Starbucks employees who say the companys publicly declared values dont always align with how theyre treated. The whole reason Tucker Jace Webb wanted to work as a Starbucks partner (which is what the company calls its employees) was its insurance plan has covered gender-affirming procedures since 2013. A Starbucks spokesperson declined to comment on the individual allegations in this story but said the company is reaching out to everyone tweeting complaints like Webbs in response to the UK commercial. "We take great pride in providing a warm and welcoming environment for everyone, and intentional misgendering is not acceptable conduct at Starbucks," the spokesperson told BuzzFeed News. Despite working with a Starbucks advocate — a title given to employees assigned with helping workers handle their insurance — and following guidelines, Schwartz was denied coverage three times.