Lesbian bar accused of kicking out gender-critical activist responds: ‘The ejection was lawful’

A gender-critical activist claims she was unfairly removed from a lesbian bar, but the venue has told PinkNews they followed lawful procedures.

Jenny Watson, a town planner who is behind a trans-exclusionary venue and dating app, claims she was kicked out of She Soho, on Old Compton Street, in London, after another customer complained about her, and says she was left with bruises on her wrists.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, Watson said she believed the customer was transgender and had probably recognised her from social media, alleging She Soho staff told her she “committed a hate crime” before telling her to leave.

“I suspect this trans-identifying man went to staff because he recognised me, then they made this decision because of what he said. The ejection was clearly motivated by my beliefs,” she claimed.

Watson, who rejects the suggestion that she is transphobic, said: “Lesbians are under attack, not [from] the outside world, but by the LGBTQ+ movement. If a man can dictate who gets to stay in a lesbian bar, then lesbian spaces are no longer safe for lesbians. This has to change.”

A spokesperson for She Soho told PinkNews: “Recently, a group of individuals with trans-exclusionary beliefs, who have never visited our venue, have targeted us with misleading and hurtful comments. They have misgendered our staff and patrons, spread false information about our space and left fake reviews on our social media platforms.”

The hate “occurred following the lawful ejection of a well-known gender-critical feminist”, they claimed.

“Our security team followed standard protocol, using reasonable force to remove the individual after multiple attempts to invite her outside for a private conversation. A police officer patrolling the area was informed of the situation and engaged with both parties.

“After reviewing the circumstances, the officer confirmed that the ejection was lawful and that the venue acted fully within its rights.”

“Our team consistently adheres to procedures designed to minimise harm in such situations, and the police affirmed these procedures were appropriate in this instance. We have documented the police details for future reference.”

Watson is now considering whether to take legal action, according to the Mail, who pointed out that Ms Watson was involved in a transphobia row last year when she said only “adult human females” could join her lesbian speed-dating events.

PinkNews contacted Jenny Watson for comment but did not receive a response.