HOUSTON – A lesbian woman is suing PepsiCo for discrimination, alleging she was called a “dike bitch” and then later fired.
Jackee Narcisse, an “openly gay” woman who “prefers to wear masculine clothes,” filed her suit on Feb. 2 in Harris County District Court.
According to the lawsuit, on Oct. 1, 2018, PepsiCo hired Narcisse to work as a full-time loader in a warehouse. A year later, she was injured while lifting and placed on light duty.
When she returned to her full-time loader position a month later, a male employee called her a “dike bitch.”
“Despite this discriminatory slur, Defendant allowed the (male employee) to continue to work with Ms. Narcisse,” the suit states.
In February 2020, Narcisse re-injured her back on the job and was placed on medical leave. She claims she was pressured to return back to work in June 2020.
Narcisse didn’t return to work until Aug. 24, 2020. On her first day back, Narcisse was operating a forklift when another male employee ran the pallet jack he was operating into the end of her forklift.
The employee then charged her and called her a “dike bitch, a gay hoe and threatened to shoot her several times,” the suit states.
Narcisse told her supervisor that she did not feel comfortable and wanted to go home until it was safe to return but was told to stay while the incident was investigated.
Thirty minutes later, Narcisse was suspended while the male coworker was not. A few weeks later, PepsiCo terminated Narcisse’s employment.
Narcisse is alleging gender discrimination in violation of the Texas Commission on Human Rights Act.
She is suing for compensatory damages and her mental anguish.
Houston attorney Marjorie Murphy represents her.
Case No. 2021-06531