By Sophie Molly
Earlier this week at the Royal Festival Hall in London, Caz Coronel (she/her) was confronted while waiting to use the women’s toilet.
According to Caz’s social media post, the incident began when a man shouted from the adjacent male toilet, “The men’s toilet is over here!” Caz initially ignored the comment, assuming it was meant for someone else. However, the man continued to shout, insisting, “The men’s toilets are this side!”
Caz recalled, “I ignored it at first, thinking someone was letting their mate know. But he kept shouting it. Then I felt a tap on my shoulder. He walked up, poked me, and said, Do you realize this is the women’s toilet?”
Up to that point, he hadn’t seen my face. So, what was he judging me on? My haircut? My hoodie? Also, I was surrounded by women. It was pretty obvious I knew which toilet it was. His energy was aggressive. I was shocked. I looked him straight in the face and asked, ‘What sex do you think I am?’ Affronted, he said, ‘I don’t know!’
Here’s where I wish I’d said, ‘If you don’t know, then shut the f*** up!’ But instead, I said, ‘Would you like to see my tits?’ I started unzipping my hoodie. He panicked: ‘No, no, nah, don’t do that!’
His wife, emerging from the toilet, saw the commotion and said with urgency, ‘Let’s go now!’”
Caz emphasized that she was not offended by being perceived as a man but by the man’s “assumption that this kind of behaviour is okay.”
The women in the queue, visibly disturbed by the man’s actions, supported Caz. One woman said, “You are welcome here,” while another expressed sympathy, saying, “I am so, so sorry you had to experience that. I can’t believe what I just saw.”
The Impact of Legal Rulings
This incident comes in the wake of the UK Supreme Court’s recent clarification on the Equality Act 2010 (EA2010). On the 16th of April 2025, the court ruled that the protected characteristic of sex under the EA2010 refers to biological sex as recorded at birth. This effectively means that trans people are legally defined by their birth sex rather than their gender identity for the purposes of the Act.
Caz believes the ruling is “not making it safer for everyone,” arguing that, “They’re fueling public entitlement and the policing of gender expression.”
This incident is part of a wider trend where several large institutions have recently implemented policies excluding trans people from same-sex spaces. Organizations such as Barclays, the Scottish Parliament, and Robert Gordon University have altered their guidelines to restrict access to toilets and changing rooms based on birth sex.
As public institutions continue to adapt policies in response to the ruling, incidents like this one highlight the real-world consequences faced by trans individuals.
About the Author
Sophie Molly is a dedicated political activist and intersectional feminist committed to advancing policies that promote inclusivity and equality. Sophie’s work emphasizes the importance of recognizing interconnected forms of oppression and advocating for comprehensive solutions that benefit all individuals, regardless of gender identity.
