Disability Rights Organizations Congratulate Abercrombie on LGBT Recognition
Urge Company to Eliminate Segregated Entrances at Hollister Stores
Earlier today, Abercrombie & Fitch Co. announced that it received a high score from the Human Rights Campaign for its LGBT-related employment policies. A&F’s “Chief Diversity Officer” stated that A&F was “delighted to earn another perfect score” on LGBT employment policies.
The Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition and Civil Rights Education and Enforcement Center congratulate A&F on this recognition but are puzzled that a company with a Chief Diversity Officer would continue to fight for the right to maintain segregated entrances for its disabled and non-disabled customers.
At approximately 230 of A&F’s Hollister brand stores nationwide, A&F constructed raised porch entrances that are inaccessible to customers in wheelchairs.
At these stores, customers who use wheelchairs must enter through a side entrance, pictured above in the far right-hand side of the photo. CCDC and CREEC challenged this segregation in court under the Americans with Disabilities Act, resulting in an August 20, 2013, judgment requiring A&F to make its raised porch entrances accessible.
Rather than make its entrances accessible, however, A&F has elected to appeal this decision, continuing to fight for the right to maintain segregated entrances.
CCDC and CREEC call on A&F’s Chief Diversity Officer to expand his concept of diversity past its “proud support of the LGBT community,” to embrace fully-integrated access to its stores.