A confrontation inside a Barnes & Noble restroom has drawn national attention after a woman filmed herself confronting a trans man who was using the women’s restroom. The incident, first reported by LGBTQ Nation, has renewed discussion about restroom access laws and the frequency of viral conflicts targeting transgender people in public spaces.
The encounter took place in a Barnes & Noble location where a woman identified online as a conservative content creator recorded a video of herself shouting at a trans man who had entered the women’s restroom. The trans man, who has a beard and masculine features but is assigned female at birth, explained that his identification still lists him as female and that he has historically been instructed to use women’s facilities for his safety. The woman responded by raising concerns about “little girls” in the restroom and claimed she had the right to film inside the store.
Another customer inside the restroom attempted to block the woman’s camera to protect the privacy of everyone present. The video posted by the woman quickly spread across social media and generated intense discussions about restroom access, children’s safety, and the frequent public harassment that transgender people face.
Bored Panda’s reporting on the incident included statements from the woman in the video, who said she was uncomfortable because she believed the presence of a trans man in the restroom was inappropriate. She also acknowledged that the individual may have avoided the men’s restroom for fear of harassment or violence. Despite that recognition, she continued filming and confronted the man as he exited the restroom.
Advocacy groups have noted that the situation reflects a pattern that has escalated recently. Across the country, restaurants, arcades, schools, and transportation hubs have recorded similar incidents. In one recent case, a trans man in Illinois was confronted by security and threatened with police action after using a women’s restroom at an arcade. Reporting from Them highlighted the emotional distress and public humiliation that resulted, and advocates connected that case to the ongoing cycle of confrontations driven by restrictive bathroom policies.
Legal experts say the Barnes & Noble confrontation lands in a complex space where state laws, business policies, and personal interpretation of gender identity collide. Many states have enacted laws restricting restroom access based on sex assigned at birth. Some states and cities allow transgender individuals to use facilities that match their gender identity. Barnes & Noble locations vary by region, but the company has not publicly commented on whether it will address the confrontation directly.
Civil rights organizations responded to the latest incident by pointing to studies that show transgender people experience the majority of harassment in restrooms, while there is no evidence of increased risk to children when facilities allow trans individuals to use the restroom that aligns with their identity. Advocates believe that fear and misinformation drive these public conflicts more than any proven threat.
The trans man involved in the Barnes & Noble incident has not released a public statement. The woman’s video continues to circulate online, prompting renewed calls for consistent, inclusive restroom policies that prevent confrontations and ensure safety for all patrons.
