Forced to Wear the Rainbow: Kroger Fires Christian Workers Who Refused
Kroger Apron Messaging
In 2020, two Arkansas employees—Brenda Lawson and Trudy Rickerd—refused to wear aprons with a multicolored heart, arguing it promoted LGBTQ values against their Christian beliefs. Kroger grocery denied it and insisted the design was just a company logo.
However, given Kroger’s DEI record and LGBTQ partnerships, Lawson and Rickerd argued that the symbol aligned with LGBTQ Pride messaging, which conflicted with their religious beliefs.
Corporate Bias Against Christians
The EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) sued Kroger, alleging religious discrimination under Title VII after the company fired the workers instead of offering accommodations.
In October 2022, Kroger settled for $180,000, agreed to create a religious-accommodation policy, and required manager training. Senate Republicans later pointed to the case as evidence of corporate bias against Christians.
DEMONIC ROOTS OF GENDER PRONOUNS.
Kroger DEI and LGBTQ Support
Kroger is the largest traditional grocery chain in the United States, operating over 2,700 stores under banners like Ralphs, Smith’s, and Fred Meyer. In recent years, Kroger has made significant strides in embracing DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) efforts, earning a “publicly scoring well” rating on the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index for its LGBTQ workplace policies and sponsorships.
Kroger’s Deceitful Checkout
In 2025, Kroger faced another issue: shoppers were overcharged on sale items when discounts weren’t honored. An audit of 26 stores in 14 states found expired tags and mismatched prices, resulting in an average overcharge of 18% (The Guardian). Some tags were 90 days old (EatingWell).
Kroger refers to them as “isolated errors” and cites its “Make It Right” refund policy (Food & Wine), but watchdogs argue that the problem is systemic.
