-
‘Such an indignity’: Trans woman ordered out of nightclub bathroom
From The Age. Read the full article here
<div>By Chloe Booker and Anna Prytz
March 12, 2021
A prominent Melbourne trans woman who wrote the rules on transgender and gender diverse inclusion at live music venues has been ordered out of a women’s bathroom at a popular Fitzroy nightclub.
Musican and academic Simona Castricum said a guard at Yah Yah’s told her “You’re a man, go to the men’s bathroom now” as she attempted to use the bathroom at the Smith Street venue early on Monday morning.
<time datetime=”2021-03-12T12:42:17+11:00″></time>
Yah Yah’s co-owner James Young confirmed the incident took place, describing it as a “very embarrassing” mistake that should never have happened.
“This male security guard stood in the doorway of the women’s bathroom and pointed at me and yelled at me quite aggressively ‘out of the bathroom’,” she said.
“I said, ‘I’m a woman, I’m a trans woman’.”
Ms Castricum said the guard continued to tell her that she was a man and that she needed to leave before another woman came to her aid.
“It really is such an indignity to have your gender questioned in front of an entire bathroom full of people,” she said. “It’s also really frightening.”
…………………
Mr Young said Ms Castricum had been denied access by an inexperienced guard despite the fact the club has a gender-neutral bathroom policy on Thursday nights.
“The guard was reprimanded and he apologised to the guest,” Mr Young said.
……………….
Mr Young said the entire staff will now receive further training from Transgender Victoria, the state’s leading body for trans and gender diverse advocacy.
He said it was important for all workplaces to regularly review their LGBTQIA+ policies and training.
“It’s vital, and not just at workplaces that happen to be running a gay night, it’s all workplaces, it’s universal training,” he said.
“This is a very embarrassing incident for me and the bar, and we have to welcome it as a learning experience with something very positive to come out of it.”
</div>