WATCH: Sprint Sends Customer Email to 'Gay Sissyboy'

The telecommunications company acknowledged its error, and apologized for sending an email addressed to 'Sissyboy Kelvin Gay Matthews.'

Sunnivie Brydum

Sunnivie is the managing editor of The Advocate, and an award-winning journalist whose passion is covering the politics of equality and elevating the unheard stories of our community. Originally from Colorado, she and her spouse now live in Los Angeles, along with their three fur-children: dogs Luna and Cassie Doodle, and "Meow Button" Tilly.

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Sunnivie Brydum

April 16 2014 2:42 PM EST

November 17 2015 5:28 AM EST

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A former Sprint customer in Chicago is speaking out about an offensive email he says a customer service representative sent him when he called to follow up about an account he thought was closed.

Kelvin Matthews, a straight, married man, told NBC News that he was on the phone with Sprint's customer service department on Sunday when he received an email that was supposed to help him reset his password.

That email was addressed to "Sissyboy Kelvin Gay Matthews," the Chicagoan said. Matthews was so taken aback by the message that he contacted Sprint again, and said the manager he spoke with was dumbfounded. "She couldn't believe it."

Sprint did respond to Matthews' complaint, and issued a statement to NBC.

"We have apologized to Mr. Mathews and deeply regret what happened over the weekend," the company said in a statement. "Mr. Mathews should never have received this email from our representative. We have dealt with that employee appropriately."

Matthews told NBC that he isn't gay, but even if he was, the salutation would have been unacceptable.

"I expressed my concerns to them and how serious this is to me and my wife," Matthews told NBC. "I don't live a homosexual life, I never gave Sprint anything to go on and think that, and even if I did, I don't think it would be fair to say this on my account."