A transgender woman was kicked out of a restaurant here after she refused to show her ID confirming she was a female in order to use the facility’s women bathroom.
Charlotte Clymer, an activist who works with the Human Rights Campaign, recalled her ordeal on Twitter, saying she was celebrating a bachelorette party on Friday with friends at Cuba Libre Restaurant and Rum Bar in Northwest D.C. when she was stopped by a staff member as she tried to use the restroom.
Clymer said the attendant asked for her ID and when she asked why, he told her that “female” must be on the card in order to use the women’s restroom.
She said no other people in the hallway waiting to use the facilities were asked to show their ID. Clymer then entered a stall and the man followed her in the women’s restroom before eventually leaving.
According to Clymer, when she came out of the restroom, the attendant and the manager told her that according to D.C. law she must have “female” on her ID to use the women’s facility.
But the D.C. law does not say that. According to it, if someone identifies as a woman, they’re allowed to use a women’s bathroom and refusing to let someone use the bathroom that corresponds with their gender is discrimination, said a CNN report.
Clymer said the manager threatened to call the police and said humiliated her intentionally. She said she was then let out by a bouncer who “grabbed” her arm and “pushed her out”.
Later, the restaurant apologized about the incident on Twitter. “As a rule, we support safe bathrooms and welcome guests of all gender identifications,” it said in a statement.
“It is particularly disappointing that this has occurred during Pride month when we’re undertaking efforts and events to support the LGBTQ community.”
Cuba Libre also said that it will re-train its entire staff to make sure something like this doesn’t happen in the future. Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser also tweeted an apology to Clymer.
