Accusations of bigotry will not deter the owner of Dodie’s Place Cajun Bar & Grill in Texas from displaying now-famous bathroom signage featuring Caitlyn Jenner and Bruce Jenner.
A late October tweet by Dallas Morning News digital editor Dom DiFurio helped bring national attention to an Allen eatery owned by Kyle McPherson, but the political backlash that followed forced him to address the bathroom signage on Facebook.
Mr. McPherson told customers and angry activists that he has no intention of shirking a debate about political correctness, which comes with imagery of the former Olympic athlete.
“First and foremost, our intention was not to make fun of or offend anyone when we installed the pictures of Bruce and Caitlyn on our bathroom doors,” the owner wrote, The New York Post reported Monday. “It was merely a lighthearted gesture to push back against the political correctness that seems to have a stranglehold on this country right now. We believe that political correctness has done more to silence rather than encourage important discussions that our society probably needs to have. Based on the mind-boggling feedback, both positive and negative, people are having that discussion.”
The owner added that claims he is “transphobic, deviant, racist, homophobic, bigot, etc.,” are unfounded.
“We are all part of the same race — the human race,” Mr. McPherson said. “Surely, we can discuss this topic and many others without slapping hurtful labels on each other. Please know that we are here to discuss this and move forward as a community. Everyone is welcome here.”
Mr. McPherson’s Facebook followers generally seemed to agree with his rationale.
“Don’t apologize,” Ronnie Fraustro wrote. “Don’t allow the PC NKVD to dictate your business. It’s funny and if NeoStalinist Libtards don’t like it, tell them to take a chill pill a more importantly, get a life and a sense of humor.”
• Douglas Ernst can be reached at dernst@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.