Tastee Diner in Maryland asked lesbian couple to leave after embracing
”I had my arms around her, and she had her arms around me…. I turned around, and I looked at him, and I said, ‘Are you serious?’ And I said, ‘It’s 2009. My first reaction, I just couldn’t believe that this was happening…. His exact words were, ‘This is a family establishment, people are trying to eat.”’
Aiy’nah Ford, a lesbian who was asked to leave the Tastee Diner in Silver Spring, MD after being affectionate with her girlfriend, Torian Brown. According to news reports, she alleges there was a heterosexual couple kissing at the time. The couple organized a protest of sorts — a dine-in — that a number of other lesbians attended to show support and seek an apology, though none was apparently offered at the event. (News Channel 8)
”The Tastee Diner is a family restaurant, and it doesn’t matter if you’re straight or if you’re gay. If you start going beyond the point of kissing and things start to get a little X-rated, we’re going to ask you to stop.”
Lisa Wilkes, whose family reportedly owns the Tastee Diner in Downtown Silver Spring, MD. She is apparently defending the request by staff recently to ask a lesbian couple to leave. The news report says a surveillance would be made available, but the one that was presented to DC news cameras was of poor quality, so no determination could be made of what could or could not be considered appropriate for a ”family restaurant.” (NBC 4)
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