Trans-sexual barred from pub wins compensation and written apologyEXCLUSIVE by Graham Readfearn A TRANS-SEXUAL who claimed she was barred from a Yorkshire pub because her presence was upsetting the regulars has won £1,000 in compensation and a welcome back from the landlord. Lisa Jones, 43, from Longwood, Huddersfield, had said she wanted to make a stand for all trans-sexuals and anyone else who had ever been discriminated against. The Yorkshire Post revealed last October how landlord David Woodhead, of the Jacob’s Well at Honley, near Huddersfield, had asked her not to go into the pub any more. Regulars had complained that they felt uncomfortable at having to share a bar with Ms Jones and women had complained that she was using the ladies’ toilet. The Equal Opportunities Commission took on the case, which was settled out of court, and last night said it was important for the service sector to have policies which did not discriminate. Mr Woodhead gave a written apology as part of the settlement and the Yorkshire Post understands that he also offered to train staff not to discriminate, and welcomed Ms Jones back to Jacob’s Well. Ms Jones, who has not yet had a sex-change operation, had never entered the pub as a man and had been living as a woman for 18 months. She said last night she would not be taking up Mr Woodhead’s invitation. “Just on principle I won’t go back. It is not fair on both parties. I will just feel uncomfortable. I would not enjoy it and neither would they.” Ms Jones, a design engineer for Vickers Defence, thanked the Commission and said it had taken up her case after other solicitors had told her she would never win. “It is brilliant. I am just sad that it was me because I have lost a lot of people who I thought were friends. Hopefully people will be a little more aware now.” “The money is nice but the satisfaction is that although we didn’t go to court and change the law, and least other people will now have second thoughts before discriminating against people.” The 1999 Sex Discrimination Act gender reassignment regulations only covers issues in employment and vocational training, and not in the services sector. A Commission spokeswoman said: “Discrimination on grounds of gender reassignment is a major problem for a singificant number of people. “Transsexualism affects an estimated 5,000 people in the UK. The Equal Opportunities Commission took on Lisa Jones’s case because we believe the law must clearly protect people from discrimination on grounds of gender reassignment in the provision of goods and services, as well as in the employment sector.” She added that all service providers should have policies which took discrimination into account. Mr Woodhead said he had no comment to make. Copyright © 2000 Yorkshire Post Newspapers |
