Subway Franchise In France Limits Valentine's Day Special To Heterosexual Couples Only, Promptly Closes

From Huff Po: The owner of a Subway shop in Angers, France is under fire for only offering a Valentine's Day special to heterosexual couples.

Citing the current status of gay marriage in France, the franchise owner defended his actions and invoked his freedom of expression in a note beneath the sandwich deal.

"Discrimination: No, the marriage for all law has advanced, but has yet to be ratified by the Senate. Until then, I'll use my freedom of expression." (Click over to French-language website Eteignez Votre Ordinateur to view images of the poster.)

According to French newspaper the Liberation, Subway's corporate offices intervened after photos of the offer were widely circulated on social media, and the restaurant was swiftly closed Friday. In a statement released the same day, Subway France apologized and noted that franchise locations are managed independently.

Following an influx of negative comments, Subway France took to Twitter to address concerns and apologized for the discriminatory special in a post on its Facebook page Saturday morning, writing:

The SUBWAY brand is strongly committed to maintaining the values ​​of diversity and inclusiveness in its restaurants around the world and does not endorse in any discrimination of any kind.

We apologize to all those people who felt offended by the individual promotional initiative for Valentine's Day of a restaurant in Angers, France.

Another Angers-area Subway restaurant also felt the blowback from the franchise owner's action, French-language publication Ouest-France reports. Following an influx of "hateful and virulent" comments, the franchise location was forced to close its Facebook page and issue a press release, denouncing any association with the other Angers Subway that offered the heterosexuals-only deal.

via www.huffingtonpost.com

Comments

[Skittles]

Good for corporate denouncing his actions. It's kind of nice to see that people are really standing up and making their voices heard when intolerance and biggotry rear their ugly heads.

[The Last Archimedean]

Actions have consequences. The bigot had the legal right to express his opinion in the way he did, but when you're running a business that relies on the public supporting you financially, it's a stupid thing to do. The public also has the right to withdraw their financial support of your restaurant if you are dumb enough to openly express the fact that you're an intolerant jerkweed, and that's what happened.

The people I feel sorry for are the employees that now need to find new jobs.

[Frenchie]

No in fact freedom of speech does not extend to hateful speech in France. Homophobic speech is punishable by law. The french LGBT association has filed a complaint and we sincerely hope he'll get at least a big fine for this. What's more, refusing service on the grounds of sexual orientation, race religion or sex is also illegal.
Indeed that's too bad for the employees, but let's hope they do not get fired for his appalling behaviour.

[Humor_Me]

I'm glad the French are so forward thinking, Frenchie. I do hope that the employees, who had no part in the owner's idiotic policy, get new jobs soon. Sounds like the French are doing it right.