Transgender woman banned from using Poole stadium toilets

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A transgender woman has described her humiliation at being barred from using the women’s toilets at Poole stadium.

Victoria Saxe-Coburg, 55, was watching a speedway event between Poole Pirates and Wolverhampton Wolves on June 8th when security staff told her in front of other fans that there had been a complaint about her.

She was told that another spectator had complained about her using the women’s toilets and was told to use the disabled facility instead.

Ms Saxe-Coburg, who transitioned 20 years ago and has been a speedway fan for 40 years, said she burst into tears.

“I felt humiliated,” she told the Bournemouth Echo. “There were quite a few people nearby. I always stand in exactly the same place. I felt so humiliated and angry that I felt as if I had to go to the opposite side of the stadium.

“I was in floods of tears. I saw the stadium manager afterwards, who said things were not handled well.”

She returned to the stadium a week later with a letter from her doctor to confirm her transition but said she “did not get very far” with her complaint.

Poole Pirates told the newspaper that the club only leases the stadium and its own staff were not involved in the incident.

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