Canada: Dozens protest as bridal shop refuses to allow trans woman to try on wedding dress

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Dozens have protested at a bridal store in Canada, after a trans woman said she was told she could not try on a wedding dress because the owner said she looked like a man.

Rohit Singh has said she plans to lodge a complaint with the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission, against Jenny’s Bridal Boutique in Saskatoon, over the incident which took place on 21 April.

Singh said she was shopping in Jenny’s, but when she asked to try on the dress she had chosen, the owner refused to let her, saying that it might make other customers feel uncomfortable.

“She said, sorry we don’t allow men to wear dresses here,” Singh said. “I said I’m not a man, I’m transgender.”

“It might happen to some other transgender that might come to the store and she will hurt the same,” Singh continued. “It so embarrassed me and my husband.”

Speaking to CBS News, the unnamed owner of the bridal boutique, said she stood by her decision.

“To me it doesn’t matter,” said the owner. “He looked like a man. There were quite a few brides in the store. If you see a man trying on dresses, you’re going to feel uncomfortable.”

There was a happy ending for Singh after all, as she went to bridal store My Lynh Bridal, where she found a dress she liked, and received excellent service. She got married on Monday.

Speaking of the alleged incident in Jenny’s Bridal Boutique, she said: “Discrimination. I’m damn sure it’s discrimination.”

On the rally, which attracted dozens of supporters, Singh said the outpouring of support made her feel supported and happy.

“Everybody came to me, to shake hands with me, to take pictures with me. I was so happy,” she said.

Mikki Mappin, of the Gender Equality Society of Saskatchewan, said her group organised the protest, and also circulated a petition calling for gender identity and expression to be included in the human rights legislation for the province.

A second lawsuit was recently filed against a florist in the US state of Washington which refused to provide its services to a same-sex wedding, citing religious objections.

 

 

 

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