Transgender shopper: Insult taken seriously

The transgender personality who reported feeling humiliated by a Farmers shop assistant is confident the clothing chain is now taking the matter seriously.

Mary Haddock-Staniland felt she was ridiculed by a shop assistant while trying on shorts in the female changing rooms at the Botany branch in Auckland on June 30.

She said she overheard a shop assistant ask colleagues if it was okay to let "half-man, half-woman" in.

Mrs Haddock-Staniland said the staff member was rude from the start, laughed at her and repeated her slurs to other customers.

"The way she singled me out made me feel as if I shouldn't be there ... I'm disgusted, I'm a strong transgender advocate in the community," she said at the time.

Mrs Haddock-Staniland says she was initially quite upset and angry at how she was treated by the shopkeeper.

"But after talking with Farmers I'm feeling better about the situation."

Farmers says it has reminded their staff of their obligations to treat all customers with respect.

It has also taken steps to reiterate their fitting room policy and are currently reviewing their signage to ensure it's reflective of this.

Mrs Haddock-Staniland says she has also lodged a complaint with the New Zealand Human Rights Commission.

The results of this are expected to come out next month.

 

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