A mother-of-one says she was banned from her local pub in Macclesfield for wearing a T-shirt styled with a dictionary definition of 'woman' on the front.
Rebekah Wershbale told the Daily Mail she was asked by a barwoman to leave the Five Clouds Tap and Bottle because the T-shirt was 'transphobic'.
Ms Wershbale said: 'She told me that the T-shirt I was wearing was upsetting people because it was transphobic and not inclusive so I was barred. What she meant was that I was somehow offending men who say they are women because my T-shirt did not include them in the definition of a woman. There aren't even any transgender staff or patrons at the pub. It's crackers.'
The black T-shirt worn by Ms Wershbale featured the words 'woman noun adult human female' on the front.
Ms Wershbale said she was told that the T-shirt was 'upsetting and not inclusive' after a male patron at the pub had reportedly been left in tears by the slogan.
'I replied that it simply said the dictionary definition of being a woman – how can it be offensive?' she told the Daily Mail.
According to the newspaper, Wershbale is a supporter of feminist group Fair Play For Women, which is opposed to reforming the Gender Recognition Act (GRA). The Government is considering responses to a recent consultation on proposed changes to allow transgender people to change the gender on their birth certificates without the need to undergo assessment or treatment first.
The manager of Five Clouds Tom Lewis told the newspaper that Ms Wershbale was banned not only because of the T-shirt, but because of several incidents in which she had challenged the staff and patrons about their views on men who identify as women.
He said that Ms Wershbale could return to the pub but would need to 'have a discussion with staff so she understands the situation'.
