An Open Letter to Business Owners

Edit: Please help me raise awareness regarding transgender discrimination by cross-posting this letter to your blog, Facebook, Twitter, or website. The more people who see it, the more people will realise that discrimination needs to stop. Thank you! Muir.


Dear local business owner,

You don't know me personally, but I came into your business the other day. I was hoping to get served and then go on my way to complete everything else on my "to-do" list, but something happened. You refused to serve me.

My appearance was like any other "typical" guy. My jeans were clean, my shirt ironed, my hair brushed, and I smelled of the latest popular brand masculine body spray. There was only one difference between me and every other guy who walks into your establishment - I am transgender.

You refused to serve me because I am not a "real man" and ordered me to go to another business that was not owned by you. I do not expect you to understand how angry, hurt, and upset that made me. I do however, expect you to know the law. After all, you are a business owner and are therefore expected to follow business laws set by the government.

Under the Equality Act of 2010, when a person walks into a business and they are presenting as (i.e. dressed as and professing to be) a certain gender they are to be treated as that gender irrespective of the gender they were assigned at birth and the gender you may think they are. This means, for example, if a person walks into a male only barbershop, is dressed like a male, and asks for their hair to be cut, then they are to be treated as a male and given the exact standard of treatment any other male would receive. To do anything less is a breach of equality law and is, to be blunt, discrimination.

All we want is to be treated the same way everyone else is treated and to be allowed to live our lives happily, without hate, without discrimination, and without having to fight to do something as simple as get a haircut.

So the next time I, or any other transgender person, enters your business, please do one thing for me. Smile at me and say, "Certainly, sir!" and give me the same standard of service you would give any other guy.

After all, that's exactly what I am - just another guy.

Sincerely,

Random Customer