• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

2

Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic

3

Ikea’s billionaire founder was so frugal that he bought clothes from flea markets and took free salt and pepper from restaurants

1

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

2

Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic

3

Ikea’s billionaire founder was so frugal that he bought clothes from flea markets and took free salt and pepper from restaurants
RetailFortune 500

Whole Foods Just Got Hit With a LGBTQ Discrimination Lawsuit

By
Michelle Toh
Michelle Toh
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Michelle Toh
Michelle Toh
Down Arrow Button Icon
September 28, 2016, 6:43 AM ET
A Whole Foods Market Inc. Location Ahead Of Earnings Figures
A man pushes a shopping cart through the parking lot of a Whole Foods Market Inc. store in Louisville, Kentucky, U.S., on Sunday, May 1, 2016. Whole Foods Market Inc. is scheduled to release earnings figures on May 4. Photographer: Luke Sharrett/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesLuke Sharrett/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

A former employee of Whole Foods Market is suing the grocery chain for discrimination against sexual orientation, saying her supervisor’s routine harassment and inappropriate comments about her being a lesbian “became so intolerable” that she was forced to resign.

Jennifer Johnston moved to Whole Foods’ Boulder, Colo. location toward the end of 2014. The former graphic artist, who worked in marketing, says her supervisor subjected her to “unwelcome and offensive comments on a weekly, and often daily, basis,” according to the civil suit filed this month.

Johnston’s team leader allegedly asked her questions about her sex life with her wife Kristin, “including who wore the pants in her relationship, and if she and her wife had ‘hotel sex’ on vacation, like a heterosexual couple.”

According to court documents, the team leader also repeatedly asked her whether she thought certain other people were gay, asking, “Well, you are gay, can’t you point out who else is gay?”

See also: Walmart Apologizes for Refusing to Bake ‘Blue Lives Matter’ Cake

“She told me that I looked ‘unf**kable,’ and that only gay people wear Crocs, which I took offense to,” Johnston told local news station CBS4.

“Thereafter, on an almost daily basis,” her supervisor referred to her shoes “as ‘U’s’ or ‘UF’s,’ meant to stand for the term ‘unf**kable,’” the lawsuit states.

During a so-called “team member appreciation week,” her supervisor allegedly dressed up as each of the three members in their unit. The day she dressed up as Johnston, “she wore clothes aimed at negative lesbian stereotypes and biases—a sweatshirt, baggy jeans, old tennis shoes, and a backwards hat,” the lawsuit said. That was not how Johnston dressed, it added.

The team leader then asked Johnston and her coworkers whether she looked “‘dykey’ enough,” according to court documents.

Johnston says she filed a complaint with the store’s general manager about the harassment. He was “initially sympathetic,” apologizing to Johnston and offering to let her change her schedule to avoid contact with the team leader, according to the lawsuit. He also said he would launch a two-week investigation into the unfair treatment.

About two days later, however, Johnston says the general manager called her into his office—not about the investigation, but to write her up for playing music at work that apparently contained profanities. Johnston disputes those claims, and she also says the general manager took back his offer to let her change her schedule.

Asked about the lawsuit, Brooke Buchanan, Whole Foods (WFM) global vice president of communications, issued a statement to CBS.

“Discrimination in any form is unacceptable to Whole Foods Market,” said Buchanan. “We were notified of this filing and are looking into the situation.”

Johnston is now reportedly seeking more than $75,000 in damages, as well as future and back pay.

“I loved working for Whole Foods,” she said. “I feel like I was really let down.”

Fortune has contacted Whole Foods for further comment, and will update the story should the company reply.

About the Author
By Michelle Toh
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Retail

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Retail

g
AIunemployment
One of the Democratic Party’s brightest stars is co-founding a group to help with the coming AI jobs earthquake
By Josh Boak and The Associated PressJune 25, 2026
6 hours ago
apes
HealthAnimals
Scientists tickled monkeys to find if they have the same giggles as humans — and they do
By Adithi Ramakrishnan and The Associated PressJune 25, 2026
6 hours ago
GTA 6 release date is finally here—but the $80 price tag and missing disc have gamers furious
Arts & EntertainmentGaming
GTA 6 release date is finally here—but the $80 price tag and missing disc have gamers furious
By Whizy Kim and Tech BrewJune 25, 2026
9 hours ago
ll
Economysummer
Deviled eggs, seltzer and a burger you can’t quit: The GLP-1 crowd is (halfway) reinventing the American BBQ
By Nick LichtenbergJune 25, 2026
14 hours ago
A pedestrian walks past a Gucci luxury fashion store at a shopping district on June 24, 2026, in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China.
RetailLuxury
Rich consumers taking GLP-1s are rebuying their wardrobes and eating smaller, fancier dishes—it’s a factor saving the luxury sector right now
By Eleanor PringleJune 25, 2026
17 hours ago
Micron drives global rally tech stock rally as traders abandon their fear of an AI bubble
InvestingMarkets
Micron drives global rally tech stock rally as traders abandon their fear of an AI bubble
By Jim EdwardsJune 25, 2026
18 hours ago

Most Popular

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
Success
MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
By Sydney LakeJune 25, 2026
21 hours ago
Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic
Success
Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJune 24, 2026
2 days ago
Ikea’s billionaire founder was so frugal that he bought clothes from flea markets and took free salt and pepper from restaurants
Success
Ikea’s billionaire founder was so frugal that he bought clothes from flea markets and took free salt and pepper from restaurants
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJune 25, 2026
21 hours ago
After forcing workers back to the office, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase are now letting their staff work remotely—but only for the World Cup
Success
After forcing workers back to the office, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase are now letting their staff work remotely—but only for the World Cup
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJune 23, 2026
3 days ago
Ray Dalio just finished a 10-day trip to China. He says global leaders know America ‘doesn’t have what it takes to fight to maintain its empire’
Asia
Ray Dalio just finished a 10-day trip to China. He says global leaders know America ‘doesn’t have what it takes to fight to maintain its empire’
By Nick LichtenbergJune 24, 2026
2 days ago
Current price of silver as of Thursday, June 25, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of silver as of Thursday, June 25, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 25, 2026
15 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.