transgender attacks by staff at Holy Cow

An attack does;t have to be physical to seem just as brutal. While Holy Cow is known for its douche-essence, this is San Francisco, and South of Market, and this shit should NOT fly.

A transwoman and while still having some masculine presentation, had already been asked to keep her bra from slipping and cover up while dancing. Then security harassed her for trying to use the women's restroom, which is entirely her right and legally enforceable. Then the security got increasingly threatening, so much so she had to call the police in fear for her safety. And against City and State law, the police harassed her too. None of this is okay.

Women use men's restrooms all the time. Club spaces get a little mixed. And no trans person has ever or ever intended to assault a woman in the bathroom. That's just conservative, ignorant bile used to attack the trans and non-conforming.

From Lily:

I informed the security guard that I’m a woman. A transgender woman. His harassment would not abate. He kept repeating ad nauseum that it is the “female restroom,” and that I could use the “male restroom” or “unisex restroom.” I told him I had no intention of using anything but the women’s restroom.

At that point I retreated back into the bathroom. If you saw this security guard, his size, his outfit, his attitude, yeah … you’d be intimidated too. He was clearly using his masculinity to intimidate. I get attacked (verbally and physically) for being transgender on the regular, so I was especially terrified.

Maybe a minute passed, during which I discussed with my friend what we might do about the situation. How to get out without being “manhandled” was my first concern. My stuff was still checked at the coat counter and would have to be retrieved. At that point a different guard, joined by the first guard, opened the door. He kept on repeating the “female restroom so you have to go” mantra, and we both kept telling him that I’m a transgender woman and he cannot kick us out. That didn’t faze him one bit.

He then walked into the women’s restroom in an effort to eject us. Before he could get close to us I told my friend to call 911. She did. We informed the dispatcher what was happening and asked that the police be sent to protect us.

The guards began to increase their harassment. A third guard arrived. While we waited for the police to arrive, one of the guards, presumably the most senior, repeatedly entered the women’s restroom. He told us we had to go. He told us that I could use the unisex bathroom. He told us we were “trespassing.” He wouldn’t stop verbally abusing us and intimidating us, even knowing the police had been summoned.

4. EXAMPLES OF UNLAWFUL GENDER IDENTITY DISCRIMINATION

C. PUBLIC ACCOMMODATIONS: Includes but is not limited to refusal to provide goods or services, disparate treatment, verbal and/or physical harassment, intentional and deliberate misuse of appropriate forms of address[.]

At that point I began to fear he would try to physically harm me. We sat on the floor of the bathroom. I figured hey, if he’s going to assault us, he’s going to do it anyway. We’re outnumbered and outsized and I don’t want any accusation that we were a threat. We remained on the floor until the police entered.

I do hope there is some accountability in the near future.

My illustrative image was taken at another club space, Space 550, which is where Sundance Saloon is held on Thursdays and Sundays.