Trans Woman Claims Club Kicked Her Out for Using Women’s Restroom
Club claims in Facebook statement that a confrontation between security and the trans patron has been misrepresented by the media.
A transgender woman has claimed she was thrown out of a popular nightclub in Cape Coral, Florida, for using the women’s restroom.
Piper Ayers claimed she went to the Dixie Roadhouse, a rodeo-themed nightclub, for some fun with friends. But things began to go wrong after she used the women’s restroom, with security confronting her and telling her she had to use the men’s restroom.
Ayers, who says she was wearing a crop top, skirt, and heels, like many other women in the club, said she and a friend tried to talk to the manager, only to be told she could only use the restroom that matches the gender on her ID. Because Ayers has not been able to legally change her name or gender marker, based on what the manager told her, she must use the men’s restroom.
Another patron whom Ayers had just met that night, Sean Kelliher, told NBC affiliate WBBH in an interview that he had tried to intervene and explain the situation to security. But they were allegedly unmoved.
“This is a woman, a trans woman, and you need to understand what that is. This is not a drag queen or a cross-dresser. This is a trans girl, and you need to treat her as a lady,” Kelliher said, recounting what he told the bouncers.
Ayers said then the bouncers got rough with her and forcibly escorted her out of the club.
“The next thing you know, they grab a hold of me and start shoving me out the front door,” she said.
Ayers says the incident left her feeling humiliated.
“I just felt worthless. Like I wasn’t a person, or I didn’t have feelings or emotions. Just no respect,” she told WBBH.
While Dixie Roadhouse initially refused to speak or issue a statement to WBBH, it later posted a statement to its Facebook page on Thursday, complaining that the restroom incident had been misrepresented in the media.
“Dixie Roadhouse is all-inclusive and has been since Day 1 eleven years ago — hence the sign on our front door,” the statement says, referring to a posted sign that reads: “If you are racist, sexist, homophobic, or just a jerk … don’t come in.”
“We have two private restrooms that our transgender guests use often. In addition, our multiple security camera angles and incident reports from this interaction indicate that the situation involving Piper Ayers simply did not happen as it was described to the media,” the club said in its statement. “The safety and comfort of our guests are paramount to us and we will address anyone that disrupts the party, makes other guests uncomfortable, or is rude or confrontational with our staff, regardless of their sexual orientation.”
In response to the club’s Facebook statement, Ayers told the right-wing British newspaper the Daily Mail that she was unaware of the existence of any single-stall restrooms, despite having been to the club on multiple occasions.
“I was unaware of any private bathrooms because if I was I would definitely go use those to make everybody comfortable including myself,” she said.
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