Soho restaurant in Melbourne has come under fire in recent weeks after trans man Zee Pepper allegedly faced transphobic insults after trying to use a gender-neutral restroom, Star Observer reports. Pepper was approached by a manager of this restaurant as he tried to use the restroom.
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“He was very overpowering and was demanding that I use the male toilets,” said Pepper. “I quietly and politely said to him that I am trans and that I don’t feel safe to use the male toilets at this time, and that I do have a right to use the unisex ambulant toilet. He responded by laughing in my face, saying he doesn’t care, and pointing and demanding I use the males.”
Pepper continued, “At that point I became visibly upset and angry. I asked him, ‘are you mocking me for being trans?’ We went back and forth — him stating I need to use the males, me saying I felt unsafe and have a right to this toilet.”
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He added that the staff member barricaded the restroom saying “there, now you can’t use it at all.” Pepper said, “The demeanour and tone used was extremely arrogant and it was blatantly obvious that he did not care.”
“I felt fearful of the manager – he was very overpowering and demeaning. I am extremely disappointed with his actions and lack of support from other venue staff, and I felt demoralised as a person.”
Pepper posted this on Instagram, leading to a viral response. Soho responded by claiming that they’re “committed to being a safe space,” though they did not address the specific manager or give details on how they’d fix this.
Pepper concluded, “We are human beings trying to live our lives as our authentic selves in peace,” he said. “We are a vulnerable and marginalised community as it is, and the rise in trans hate and incidents like these and assaults are extremely harmful. People’s lives are genuinely at risk, and many have been lost at the hands of trans hate.”
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