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Last summer (2002) reports reached us from Lebanon regarding an anti-gay policy of the management of the local Dunkin Donuts.

These reports were substantiated by articles from the Daily Star (the Lebanese newspaper in English) and the Lebanese Executive Economic magazine. After a short period of quiet, the reports started coming back to us.

The Lebanese Executive Economic magazine reported as follows: "Dunkin' Donuts apparently has an unofficial policy: The well-known chain has reportedly decided to refuse serving "gay-looking" people. Monica A. Smith, an American expat residing in Beirut, was appalled when her gay friend was turned away from the donut store and she wrote a letter of complaint to Dunkin' Donuts management. "On Monday, June 17, at 10pm, I walked into the downtown Dunkin' Donuts with my friend only to be immediately refused service by an employee who asked us to leave. The employee said that my friend looked too effeminate to be served," the letter reads. This was only one of many cases where 'gay-looking' people were denied service at Dunkin' Donuts. Christine Assouad Sfeir, general manager of Dunkin' Donuts Lebanon, stresses that this is not an instance of discrimination against gay people. "

Attached is an article that appeared in one of Beirut's leading newspapers last summer. Seems that the manager of Dunkin Donuts has not recuperated from her attack of homophobia - even a year later. Time for the GLBT community to join forces and show Mrs. Sfier that we also have a voice and that our money has the same value as everyone elses. Of course we can live (probably alot healthier) without Dunkin Donuts - but they have NO RIGHT to bar members of the GLBT community from sitting there.

Please sign the attached petition and send it on. Our brothers and sisters in Lebanon need the backing of the GLBT international

Dunkin’ Donuts apparently has an unofficial policy : The well-known chain has reportedly decided to refuse serving ‘gay-looking’ people at both its Sassine and downtown branches.

Monica A. Smith, an American expat residing in Beirut, was appalled when her gay friend was turned away from the donut store and she wrote a letter of complaint to Dunkin’ Donuts management. “On Monday, June 17, at 10pm, I walked into the downtown Dunkin’ Donuts with my friend only to be immediately refused service by an employee who asked us to leave. The employee said that my friend looked too effeminate to be served,” the letter reads. This was only one of many cases where ‘gay-looking’ people were denied service at Dunkin’ Donuts.

Christine Assouad Sfeir, general manager of Dunkin’ Donuts Lebanon, stresses that this is not an instance of discrimination against gay people.

“We have kids of all ages coming to our shop, and I want the parents to be assured that when their kids come here they are being taken care of,” she says. “I have no problem with anyone coming to buy coffee and donuts. On the other hand, we have to keep some standards because we serve a whole population and we don’t want to become exclusive to one community,” she adds, implicitly admitting that discrimination against gays is practiced in order to keep her mainstream clientele.

Sfeir alleges that the shop has no anti-gay policy, stating that one can still see gay people at both the Sassine and downtown shops.