Starbucks reverses stance on not allowing workers to wear BLM clothing

Starbucks has reversed its initial stance regarding allowing employees to wear clothing in support of the Black Lives Matter movement after much public backlash, according to The Hill.

Initially, Starbucks had barred its employees from wearing shirts or pins that had Black Lives Matter on them via a memo released earlier this week, citing that it violated the company's policy against accessories that "advocated a political, religious or personal issue."

The memo was almost immediately met with a large public backlash.

"Starbucks LGBTQ+ partners wear LGBTQ+ pins and shirts, that also could incite and create violent experiences amongst partners and customers," one black transgender employee of the coffee chain told BuzzFeed. “We have partners who experienced harassment and transphobia/homophobia for wearing their pins and shirts, and Starbucks still stands behind them."

This prompted the coffee chain to reverse their stance and release a statement in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.

"We see you. We hear you. Black Lives Matter. That is a fact and will never change," Starbucks said in a statement.

Donations made to the Defund the Police petition on the Black Lives Matter website go in part to ActBlue, a partner of the organization that raises funds for the Democratic National Convention, of which Joe Biden is a top beneficiary.