Bar Forces Trans Women To Use Men’s Restroom For The “Safety” Of Other Patrons

"The majority of the staff and bar patrons were mortified."

From: NewNowNext

 A bar in Medicine Hat, Alberta has reversed an archaic bathroom policy that prohibited transgender people from using the restroom of their choice after a woman posted about her experience at the bar on Tuesday.

River Rising, a transgender Calgary woman visiting the area for a wedding, told Global News that she was banned from using the restroom at the Corona Tavern before she even tried.

According to a post detailing the harassment, Rising claimed bouncers approached her and “asked several inappropriate questions” about her transition and which restroom she intended to use, saying she could’ve been thrown out of the bar “just for being there” if the owner was in.

 “I was told my presence would make the women feel uncomfortable,” said Rising. “I told them I had not used a men’s washroom since I was 17 and I had no intention of starting.”

She added: “The majority of the staff and bar patrons were mortified by the opinions of this one manager so despite this person I went on with my night, not using any bathroom at all. Now nearly two weeks later I have been informed this sign has been up and I am disgusted they think this degrading and archaic behavior is acceptable or even legal.”

Staff at the Corona Tavern immediately hung up a sign that read “You must use the bathroom of your birth gender,” before taking it down just as quickly because the policy directly violates Bill 7, legislation that protects Albertans from discrimination based on gender identity.

The sign was replaced with a “gender neutral washroom” sign, though Rising says it’s still not enough.

“The gender neutral washroom is great for someone who identifies outside the gender binary, but for those of us that do, we still have the right to use the washroom of our choice,” she said.

In a statement defending their decision to discriminate against trans patrons, the owners of Corona Tavern said “the clientele that we serve are often under the influence of alcohol and some young men, who are not transgendered [sic] have been claiming to be, to enter the women’s washroom.”

“This has caused some young female patrons to feel unsafe and threatened,” they claimed.

Heaven forbid a young cis woman feels unsafe in the women’s bathroom before a young trans woman in the men’s!