Restaurant demanded to see trans woman’s ID before using bathroom

A restaurant has apologised for an incident after a transgender woman tried to use the female bathrooms.

Charlotte Clymer was at the Cuba Libre Restaurant and Rum Bar in Washington D.C. with friends. Following an attempt to enter a female bathroom, a member of staff asked her to provide ID stating that she was ‘female’.

Clymer shared the incident in a Facebook post:

I told him that’s nonsense, turned on my heel, and continued into the restroom.

I go into the stall to do my business, and I hear him walk in and search for me in this busy restroom full of women. He leaves, I do my business, wash my hands and walk out.

On the other side of the door are the attendant and the manager, who says it's D.C. law that you must have ‘female’ on your ID to use the women's restroom. I tell him he's wrong and there's no chance I'm showing him my ID.

After going back and forth with staff, Clymer eventually walks out of the restaurant to ‘cool off’.

Not long after, she finds D.C.’s law regarding restrooms and shows them that what they were doing was illegal. The law stated that ‘denying access to any restroom, or other gender specific facility that is consistent with a person’s gender identity or expression, is unlawful’.

The manager laughed, repeated that she had to leave and threatened to call the police. Clymer called the police instead.

Of the police, she only had praise:

I could not have asked for a more professional and affirming experience from the Washington Metropolitan Police Dept. The responding officers – all cisgender men – were patient and kind in their communication, assured me I was right on the law, and radioed for their LGBT+ liaison unit to respond.

The Mayor of Washington shared her support of Clymer:

Cuba Libre eventually issued an apology:

Ms Clymer, We are extremely sorry for the incident that occurred at our restaurant last night. As a rule, we support safe bathrooms and welcome guests of all gender identifications. Clearly our staff did not do so last night and treated you in an unacceptable manner.

We are immediately retraining our entire staff to ensure this does not happen again.

It is particularly disappointing that this has occurred during Pride month and we’re undertaking efforts & events to support the LGBT+ community.

Our CEO has reached out to you through a friend of a member of your party from last night. He provided his cell phone number and hopes to speak with you personally today.

Clymer says she is pursuing 'legal options' against the restaurant.

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