Washington coffee stand removes offensive transphobic sign after backlash
2nd Base Espresso in Washington (Yelp/MaryKate B.)
A Washington state coffee stand has removed a transphobic sign after it sparked widespread backlash online and prompted local residents to organise a protest.
The sign, displayed outside a “bikini barista” coffee stand in Spokane’s Hillyard neighbourhood called 2nd Base Espresso, read: “Trans women are r******* men,” conveying an anti-trans message using a widely recognised slur targeting people with intellectual disabilities.
The sign quickly went viral, drawing condemnation from community members and leading to a flood of negative online reviews, as reported by The Spokesman-Review. Yelp temporarily disabled new reviews on the business’s page after an influx of activity tied to media coverage, while Google ratings also dropped as people voiced their outrage.
According to local reports, the sign was removed by Wednesday (15 July) and replaced with another message reading: “Calm your t***”. The coffee stand has previously faced criticism for displaying offensive signs, including one in 2017 that was widely condemned as racist.
A number of images on the business’s Yelp page show other signs which include jokes about gay people, ICE deportations and transgender women.
Hillyard resident Elbe Seaton, who is openly queer and the parent of a child with special needs, organised a protest which took place on Sunday (19 July) outside the business. She told The Spokesman-Review that the sign felt deeply personal. “She is putting hate in our neighbourhood that doesn’t represent us. This does not represent Spokane as a city,” Seaton said, adding that the demonstration is intended to reassure LGBTQ+ people and others targeted by the message that “they are cared about, seen and loved”.
Spokane City Councilwoman Sarah Dixit also condemned the sign, saying multiple residents had contacted her about it and stressing that while the city cannot regulate speech on private business signs, “This is not what our district is about. It’s not what I want our district being known for.”
The Spokesman-Review contacted a woman outside the coffee stand on Wednesday (15 July), who is believed to be the owner because her name matched business records. She declined to comment.
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