Trans teen refused service because staff didn’t believe his ID belonged to him
A transgender man was refused service in a supermarket because the staff didn’t believe the female ID belonged to him.
Charlie Diesel, 19, was refused service without explanation when he attempted to buy tobacco with his passport.
Diesel was told that he could not be served because the ‘passport presented was that of a female.’
He was offered a £20 goodwill gesture by the store but refused to accept the voucher because he wants to bring a light onto the discrimination transgender people face daily.
Diesel was irate over the situation, having never experienced issues surrounding it since beginning his transition two years ago.
“It just felt so insulting, this has never happened to me before,” he explained.
“I have been through border control four times with this passport and never had an issue, but after this it occurred to me this may be happening to lots of people so I had to speak out.”
“In this day and age, when the transgender community are not hiding themselves, people just cannot be allowed to discriminate.”
Diesel wasn’t angry at being asked for ID, as he looks young, but was furious when he was refused service.
He said: “I showed her the passport and she agreed it was legitimate but she refused to speak to the staff member in front of me and just kept repeating ‘this is not discrimination’, but it clearly was.”
Following the incident Stonewall and Beau Bedford, a local LGBT support group, have reached out to Diesel.
A spokesman for Stonewall said: “Trans people still face prejudice on a daily basis. It’s vital we step up as allies, calling out transphobia whenever we see it.”
Chris Page, who runs Beau Bedford said: “In this day and age it is upsetting to think people are still living in the stone-age and if anyone faces discrimination I urge them to contact police.”
A Tesco spokesman confirmed Charlie Diesel was not served because of the differing appearance on his passport.
He added: “Everyone is welcome at Tesco and it is never our intention to cause any offence.”
