The Liberty Hotel in Boston has apologised to a cis-gender lesbian couple admitting they had made a mistake when they accused one half of the couple of being transgender and removing her from the building for being in the women’s bathroom.
Ansley Baker and Liz Victor said they were out enjoying the Kentucky Derby at the Liberty Hotel in May when they were suddenly kicked out of the venue. Baker, who is a cis-gender woman is six foot tall and has short hair, shared how she was confronted by a security guard who demanded to see her ID to prove her sex.
The couple were heckled by other patrons waiting to use the bathroom facilities and even after Baker produced her identification, both women were ejected from the premises.
The Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD) has now announced that the a settlement has been reached in their case against the venue.
The commission said the move violated the Massachusetts anti-discrimination laws based on gender stereotyping, gender identity, sexual orientation, and retaliation.
Investigating Commissioner and Chairwoman, Sunila Thomas George said the venues actions were outrageous.
“This outrageous incident at the Liberty Hotel left these two women emotionally shaken, humiliated, and deeply distressed,” George stated in the Commission’s complaint. “They were denied services, subjected to demeaning treatment in front of other patrons of the hotel, and falsely accused of actions they did not commit, which is not only degrading, but unjust according to Massachusetts civil rights law.”
The venue has agreed to cease and desist from all discriminatory conduct, update its non-discrimination policy to disseminate to all of its employees, provide anti-discrimination training for all of its employees with advanced training for management as well as posting a non-discrimination statement in its lobby.
The hotel will also make a charitable donation of US$10,000 to a LGBTQIA non-profit organisation.
“At a time when protections for gender identity and sexual orientation are being challenged nationally, the MCAD remains committed to upholding these rights and holding businesses accountable to the law” MCAD Executive Director Michael Memmolo emphasised.
“Our mission is to create a Commonwealth where discrimination is not only addressed but actively prevented.”
In the wake of the incident the hotel accused the two women of being in the same stall within the bathroom, and of having ‘put their hands on’ a security guard, something both Baker and Viktor denied. The commission said the false claim by the hotel was an example of unlawful retaliation.
“We deeply regret that our initial statement may have created unintended impressions about the actions of Ansley and Liz. That was not our intent,” Liberty Hotel general manager Mark Fisher told local media adding that venue was “committed to learn from this and do everything we can so that nothing like it ever happens again.”
While the hotel has settled the complaint brought by the anti-discrimination commission, it still faces a separate action brought by the couple.
