A post shared on Facebook claims Circle K discriminated against LGBTQ+ people applying for jobs.
Verdict: False
The claim originates as satire.
Fact Check:
Iraq has criminalized same-sex relationships in an effort to uphold religious values, according to Reuters. The Law on Combating Prostitution and Homosexuality also mandates seven years in prison for anyone who “promotes homosexuality or prostitution,” the outlet reported.
A Facebook post claims Circle K is discriminating against LGBT individuals applying for positions within the company. The post shares a screenshot of text sharing the claim that includes a photo of a Circle K.
The text in the photo reads, “Circle K Inc., which operates more than 7,000 convenience stores discriminated against LGBT job seekers – specifically gay men and trans-women – by automatically weeding out applicants who had been convicted of sex crimes…”
The post’s caption reads, “So they sued Circle K for discrimination against Trans people and gay men because they won’t hire people convicted of child sex crimes? What are they trying to tell us?”
The claim is baseless, however. There are no credible news reports to corroborate the claim. At the time of writing, the only result is Snopes debunking the claim. (RELATED: Viral X Video Shows Swedish Army Marching For LGBTQ+ Rights, Not Linked To Recent NATO Accession)
The article was originally posted to a site called The Dissident Post. The site’s “About Us” page has a “Frequently Asked Questions” section. In response to a question asking if the site is satire, it reads, “It’s pretty telling that you have to ask. For more information please Google ‘Poe’s Law.’”
Poe’s Law is “a popular adage that says satirical expressions of extremism online are hard to distinguish from genuine ones without indicating intent,” according to Dictionary.com.