Manchester bouncer's transphobic jibe 'was a hit in the face'

Jamie Rose Dee said she has recently felt she was "blending in"

A trans woman who was misgendered in a restaurant in Manchester has called for more hospitality businesses to have diversity training.

Jamie Rose Dee visited 20 Stories in Spinningfields on Wednesday with her boyfriend when a bouncer called her "bro" making her "very uncomfortable".

The 25-year-old said she had recently felt she was "blending in" and the jibe "knocked my confidence".

The group that owns the bar and restaurant has apologised.

Ms Dee said: "I've had quite a lot of surgery and in general most people don't know I'm trans apart from my voice.

"I think when the bouncer heard me he was quite taken aback and he immediately looked me up and down in a negative way and was abrupt with me."

She said they went into the restaurant, but she "started reflecting" and left as she felt uncomfortable.

The group that owns 20 Stories in Spinningfields has apologised

Ms Dee said: "Throughout my transition I've stuck to LGBT-friendly spaces because I've not really felt welcome or safe in cis [cisgendered - people whose gender identity matches their sex assigned at birth]-dominated places, but recently I've felt more confident with myself.

"Although it doesn't sound like a big deal to other people, it's a micro-aggression that just chips away, so it knocked my confidence.

"I'd kind of felt I was blending in and let my guard down, so when he called me 'bro' it was a bit of a hit in the face.

"I've had all the surgery, I've tried my best to fit into society and you still clearly don't see me as me.

"It happens every day to trans people and I think this one incident represents a wider issue."

'Extremely sorry'

She said it was not mandatory for businesses to have diversity training and if it was "everyone could access these bars, clubs, restaurants and feel comfortable".

D&D London, the group that owns 20 Stories, said it was "extremely sorry" and had "launched a full investigation both internally and with our external security team".

A spokesman said: "This is not representative of our company values and it is something we are taking very seriously."

Equality, diversity and inclusivity is very important to D&D London and we welcome all communities into our venues across the world.

"These incidents have highlighted the need for us to relook at all our procedures across the group."