I spent a wonderful 5 days out in Manchester travelling on the train through to Blackpool and Liverpool. Sadly in Liverpool in the Debenhams store, the security must have considered me as some sort of risk or perhaps I was about to break some law being dressed as I was (see photo taken a little later).
What happened? I wanted to try a dress on and went over towards the queue for the fitting rooms to ask an assistant if it would be ok. I always ask and would never dream of just walking in to the fitting rooms without asking. The shop assistants when I have been out shopping in Manchester and Blackpool have always been sensitive to my needs and other customers when I've needed to try clothes on.
I never got to speak to an assistant within 30 seconds of joining the queue a security guard came and announced 'YOU HAVE BEEN SPOTTED BY THE CONTROL ROOM' and proceeded to tell me I would have to use the changing rooms on another floor. He did say the Men's.
Other people were now looking at me and I just felt sick. I went back to my friends and put the dress back. I told them what had happened and they were horrified.
We left, on the way out I asked the security if this was standard policy to treat trans gendered people like this. He just said that the control room had spotted us and was told to tell me that I would have to use the men's changing room.
It seems to me that I was doing something wrong because of my appearance and that the security considered me a threat that the shop assistants would not be able to deal with in the women's department. I only wanted to ask about a dress and possibly try it on.
I've sent an email to the company about this it'll be interesting to see if I get a reply.
Sadly I don't know if I will bother to go back to Liverpool. Liverpool 1 is intimidating with the amount of security swarming round the place very visibly. It should have made us feel safer, but to be honest and I think my friends would agree we felt we were being constantly watched and not really welcome.
I really hope I get a positive reply. Liverpool is a city I have many fond memories of and it is a place I really wanted to get out in. In it's defence it was ladies day at Aintree which tends to bring out a lot of drunks and idiots so I am told, but really that is no excuse for why I was treated like that.
On a positive note in the MAC shop I got some good advice on my foundation now that they don't stock the full coverage and a sample of the Studio Fix liquid to try.
Cafe Rouge, I think it was where we had breakfast treated us really well. Even using the ladies in Lime Street Station I had to pass a police officer and had no problems.
The incident did give me a knock as it did my friend Diana who is from Liverpool.
Our faith was restored the next day when we were out shopping in Manchester. We could not have been treated better.
In conclusion I sincerely hope this is not normal practise in Liverpool 1
3 comments:
Karen,
That sort of thing is NOT acceptable today.
If this happened to me, I'd write to Debenham's Head Office, and cc the letter to a number of lobby groups like The Gender Trust. I'd explain what happened and ask Debenhams to state "on the record" their official policy towards transgendered people. Make clear that you will publish their reply in the LGBT community.
It may well be that the security firm were the ones displaying bigotry, and if this is the case then Debenhams Head Office will want to know.
This sort of thing WILL embarrass any major company today, so I bet they apologise damn quickly.
luv
chrissie.
xxx
The problem is under the law it is acceptable and they can just ignore me. I am not under medical supervision ie transitioning. The thing that gets me is how the security must have thought I was some kind of threat.
The more I think about this I just feel sick. With what I know now looking at the law I guess I've become more streetwise so to speak.
If this happens again I'll be ready.
Thanks Chrissie
Karen, thank you for explaining what happened on the day and yes there is no doubt about it, you have been treated awfully to say the least especially by the security. Interestingly Debenhams being a stand alone building, are they employing "L1" security staff to do their security? If so Debenhams are also responsible for what went on too. Hopefully, you will get a (positive) response but have you contacted Security HQ too as they clearly are in need of additional customer service training but would not hold much hope though if its not a well established security company.
I can understand how you felt, not nice to say the least but clearly the rest of the "shortened" trip around the city went OK and you realise not everyone is like that.
You take care & hopefully see you in the future. Hugs, K.D. xxxxxx
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