University investigating after trans woman filmed and confronted in campus bathroom
Footage of the woman being confronted in a Western Carolina University bathroom was shared on social media. (Getty Images)
Western Carolina University in North Carolina is investigating after a student confronted and filmed a trans woman in toilets on the campus grounds.
In the clip, which was filmed on the Western Carolina University (WCU) campus, the person behind the camera can be heard asking the trans woman what she is doing in the female toilets.
“Going to the bathroom,” the trans individual responds.
“Why are you in the girls’ bathroom?” the camera operator probes, continuing to challenge the trans woman’s presence.
In response, the person being questioned replies that she is a trans girl, to which the woman retorts: “But you’re not a girl.”
Remaining cool, the individual being filmed replies “Interesting. Never had this before. I don’t know what to say. I’m sorry you feel that way.”
The person filming claims they “pay a lot of money” to be safe in the female toilets, to which the trans woman agrees and starts to leave.
After the footage, which PinkNews has chosen not to publish, was shared on social media, it was picked up by conservative online platform LibsofTikTok, sparking a barrage of transphobic abuse.
However, a number of people also came to the trans woman’s defence and pointed out how inappropriate it was for the person behind the camera to film a stranger in such a setting without their consent.
In a statement given to The Advocate, a WCU spokesman said: “Western Carolina University is dedicated to fostering a safe and welcoming environment for all students. The university’s primary concern is the safety and wellbeing of all members of its campus community.”
The spokesperson added that the matter was being investigated.
Meanwhile, in the UK all new non-residential buildings could be forced to have separate male and female toilets under proposed legislation from the Conservative-led UK government in an attempt to ban gender-neutral facilities.
A policy proposed by the Department for Levelling Up on Monday (6 May) will prevent all non-domestic new builds, including restaurants, shopping centres, offices, and more, from having gender-neutral toilets.
