Current Affairs

Lesbian teen asked to prove gender, ejected from McDonald’s for using women’s toilet

Apr 10 2016
Written by Joseph McCormick

A lesbian has said she was kicked out of a McDonald’s for using the women’s toilets, after being mistaken for a man.

16-year-old Ny Richardson was asked to prove her gender when a staff member saw her enter the women’s toilets.

Lesbian teen asked to prove gender, ejected from McDonald’s for using women’s toilet

Richardson, who was visiting a Hull branch alongside her girlfriend told Yahoo: “I ordered my food and left it with my girlfriend as I went to the toilet.

“When I was in there, someone told me to get out and when I sat back down, the manager came over and told me that I needed to leave because I have been in the girls’ toilet.”

She responded: “I said to him, ‘Why do I need to leave? I’m a girl, can you not tell by my voice?’

“He then asked me to show some ID, but when I didn’t have any he told me to get out and he rang the police.”

The lesbian has said she was “humiliated in front of the whole restaurant”, and that she is “still angry” about his attitude.

According to the restaurant, Richardson was one of a number of “disruptive” customers who were asked to leave the branch on Tuesday.

Police have confirmed that they were called to the branch after an argument between staff and a group of teenagers.

But Richardson has said she was not part of that group, and that this was the first time she was treated unfairly because of her appearance.

Leigh Richardson, Ny’s mother, added: “She is who she is and people need to accept that.

“She shouldn’t have to justify herself to anybody.”

The restaurant released a statement saying: “We can confirm a group of individuals were asked to leave our St Andrew’s Quay restaurant, following several complaints about inappropriate behaviour.

“This group has been asked to leave the restaurant on numerous occasions over the past few days, culminating in the police being called on Tuesday evening. These actions have been taken due to unacceptable behaviour only.”

Humberside Police also said: “Officers were called to the St Andrew’s Quay branch of McDonald’s following reports a group of youths were being abusive.

“An altercation had ensued between the youths and staff after a customer complained a person they wrongly believed to be male was in the women’s toilets.

“No complaints were made and words of advice were given to all parties.”