Ross Department Store Allowed a Man in the Women’s Dressing Room and Told a Woman to Wait
A woman complained to the manager about a man in the dressing room and was told that he was "representing himself as a woman today."
A Texas woman was “mad and appalled” Monday when a man was allowed into the women’s dressing room of a Ross department store in Mesquite, reports CBS 11 News.
Lisa Stickles said that she was trying on clothes when she heard a man’s voice coming over the wall. She immediately reported the incident to the manager, but was told that the man was “representing himself as a woman today,” and that if she was uncomfortable, she’d have to “wait until he’s finished.”
Stickles saw the man when he left the fitting rooms. “He was in no way dressed as a woman,” she said, “He had on jeans, a t-shirt, five-o’clock shadow, very deep voice. He was a man.” She called Ross’ corporate office while still in the store to protest.
A Ross spokesperson told CBS 11 News that Ross doesn’t “discriminate against the transgender community” and that “customers may use changing rooms that apply to their gender identity.”
Transgender policies vary by department store. Target, TJ Maxx and Marshalls allow customers to use fitting rooms based on their claimed gender identity, Kohl’s allows customers to use dressing rooms based on biological sex, while Wal-Mart doesn’t have a transgender fitting room policy.
Stickles said she put her clothes back and will not be shopping at Ross in the future. She said she doesn’t feel like any of the transgender policies were for her benefit, especially if they can be easily exploited. “It was like he was doing it because he could.”