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A trans woman living in London says she was asked to “prove” that she was female by a security guard after he followed her into a McDonald’s restroom.

57-year-old Paula Griffin says she was approached by the security guard when she entered a women’s restroom in a McDonald’s restaurant in Peckham, London, on Monday, the 17th of October.

Taking to Twitter after the incident, Griffin explained that a male security guard followed her into the toilets, “shouted something, then demanded to see my passport when I came out.”

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“That he felt he’d the power to do that to any woman not meeting HIS female criteria – scary”, she wrote.

Paula Griffin
Paula Griffin

Shocked by the encounter, Griffin says she produced her passport to the man, showing that she is female.

Following the incident, managers realising something was wrong, soon intervened, taking Griffen outside, where they gave her a “half-hearted apology.”

Speaking with UK-based LGBTQ+ Media, PinkNews, after the incident, Griffin says she went home to “clear her head” and decided to file a complaint with the company.

“Allegedly, they’re investigating it, but I’m not holding my breath.”

Griffin adds that this is not the first time she has faced comments and abuse about her gender identity in public places, “When I’ve actually had transphobic comments made in real life, 99 per cent of the time it comes from men, not from women.”

“I think it’s a follow-on from the bullying culture in this country.”

“A lot of the gender-critical feminist movement is being led by middle-class white women who fear they’re losing out to trans-inclusive younger women.”

Griffin, who has recently returned from a trip to Peru, says she faced no issues using a women’s restroom overseas, adding that she feels UK politicians and media alike tend to focus negatively on trans rights, saying, “As trans women, we are being demonised in this country for political gain.”

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