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A transgender woman is suing the grocery chain after a security guard allegedly pushed her twice and threatened her with a trash can while misgendering her.
A transgender woman is suing QFC and one of its security guards, alleging she was assaulted and targeted for discrimination at a Seattle store in 2022.
Madison Wineka stopped at the QFC on Rainier Avenue South to pick up a few items after work when an altercation broke out in the self-checkout line with another customer, prompting store security to respond.
Wineka says a masked, armed security guard — identified in the lawsuit as Travis Peoples — pushed her to the ground. She then began recording the encounter on her phone.
A civil lawsuit filed by Wineka against QFC and Peoples claims the two discriminated against her by intentionally misgendering her after she asked them not to. Audio captured during the incident includes a voice saying, “You’re a f—— male to me.”
As Wineka was removed from the store, she says she was pushed to the ground a second time. Video from the incident shows Peoples lifting a trash can above his head and threatening her.
“The next thing I know I’m on the ground outside the door with the security guard holding a trash can above his head,” Wineka said. “I was getting ready to be pummeled with a trash can.”
Wineka’s attorneys say the incident is a clear violation of Washington state law.
“Saying ‘you’re a man to me’ and disregarding that she’s identified herself as a woman is discrimination,” said Brett Beetham of Beetham Tran Law.
“This is just not acceptable for someone to be treated like this,” added co-counsel Nikhil Bavariya of Bavariya Law. “This is why we brought this lawsuit.”
In court filings, QFC admitted the guard “violated multiple (company) policies,” including its use-of-force policy, and said “his behavior served no purpose.”
Wineka ended up spending the night in jail following the incident, but ultimately no charges were filed against her.
She says she hopes her case sends a message.
“I came to Seattle from Kentucky because I thought it was safe for people like me,” Wineka said. “I want to let people know that things like this do happen and they shouldn’t. Everyone should be treated equally.”
QFC and its parent company, Kroger, declined to comment on the ongoing litigation.
