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Hotel condemned again after release of 911 tape in arrest of transgender person (audio)

Meagan Taylor booking photo at Polk County Jail
Meagan Taylor booking photo at Polk County Jail

DES MOINES— On Tuesday, Dec. 8, The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) released the audio from the 911 call the general manager of Drury Inn & Suites in West Des Moines made on July 13th that led to Meagan Taylor’s arrest. On the call, the manager asks to run the names of both Taylor and the friend accompanying her through the police database due to their appearance, speculating that the two are engaged in prostitution. Taylor and her friend are both African American transgender women.

One Iowa Executive Director Donna Red Wing issued the following statement regarding the call:
“It is my opinion that Meagan Taylor, an African American transgender woman, was targeted by the general manager of Drury Inn & Suites in West Des Moines because of ignorance, bias and stereotype.

This hotel chain, based out of St. Louis, should remember that in Iowa we have laws that protect people from discrimination in public accommodation, including transgender people. If Drury wants to do business here, they need to brush up on those laws and abide by them. Their staff is in critical need of training to avoid LGBT and racial profiling. And, given the remarks made on the 911 call, perhaps the chain should institute a hiring process that weeds out anyone so racist and so transphobic that they would jump to the conclusion that a trans woman with brown skin must be a ‘hooker’.

While I am horrified that Ms. Taylor was treated so badly by Drury Inn & Suites​, I am proud of those who came together to support her: local trans activists, LGBTQ folks, clergy, law enforcement, bloggers, journalists and donors. Taylor made it home because of the compassion of these people and their willingness to do the right thing.”

LISTEN TO THE 911 CALL HERE

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