We’ve made some strides in inclusivity of all gender, but we still have a lot of work to do. Today, though, we’re going to celebrate the progress — which can often feel one step forward and two steps back. From clothing lines to passports, different organizations and brands are stepping up by making things unisex, gender fluid, and gender-neutral. Now Topshop is in on it with their new changing room policy.
Trans-feminine performer Travis Alabanza spoke out against the retailer about an experience they had in a Manchester, England store. According to BuzzFeed, Alabanza went to the changing room to try on a dress they liked, but the dressing room attendant didn’t allow Travis to try it on in the women’s area because “there were women in their underwear.” Instead, they were told to go to the men’s area in Topman downstairs.
“She wasn’t rude, but she wasn’t sympathetic either,” Alabanza said of the employee. “I said, ‘I’m not going to be safe down there. What do you want me to do?’ and they just kind of shrugged. I was pretty pissed off … I did think I could buy the dresses and take them home to try on, but I felt like, why am I doing this? My day instantly became politicised when all I wanted was a chill day shopping.”
Hey @Topshop just experienced transphobia in your Manchester store. Not letting me use the changing room I decide is shit, sort it out.
— Travis (@travisalabanza) November 5, 2017
Alabanza posted a tweet saying, “Hey Topshop just experienced transphobia in your Manchester store. Not letting me use the changing room I decide is shit, sort it out.”
All stores in @topshop have private cubicles and the staff working in them are of different genders yet they still police them
— Kate Moross (@katemoross) November 6, 2017
Another Twitter user, Kate Moross, responded, saying that even though Topshop’s fitting rooms are private cubicles with employees of different genders working them, they are still “policed.”
Topshop replied to Moross, explaining that the changing room policy had been “recently updated.” A spokesperson for the brand confirmed this, telling BuzzFeed that “both the Topshop and Topman fitting rooms are available for all customers to use.” It’s unclear when the policy was changed, but hopefully no one will go through a similar experience in a Topshop again.
What do you think of Topshop’s policy? Tell us @BritandCo!
(Photos via Carl Court/Getty)
