I guess I'll be the one to say it, I'm a queer man, who generally dates trans men, so don't try, and pull any shit that I'm just prejudice, cause that isn't the case, but seriously you wanna identify as a man, and be a man get used to using the mens room in all it's disgusting glory, you think any other guy feels safe using a doorless stall? No other man is gonna get the option to pick, and choose which restroom he gets to use either. Your bf deserves the same amount of respect as any human being, but he isn't special so that he gets to pick, and choose when he wants to adhere to the bathroom labels of a privately owned club, all other men would of been kicked out too. Welcome to being a man, it comes with a lot of disgusting bathroom experiences, and it builds character. Bummer for the shitty treatment by the bouncer, but your boyfriends comfort, or sense of safety isn't the only one involved, for all you know someone complained, and it's the bouncers job to respond. Though if ya'll are ok with it I'll happily use the woman restroom over the men's anyday, I mean why not your bf has the choice why shouldn't everyone else? Your bf isn't a special snowflake just a person like the rest of us, and he doesn't get special fucking treatment.

P.S. Way to keep it classy Portland Mercury asking for people to break anonymity on an blog based off anonymity, don't you think they would of contacted a press source if they wanted to name the place they were, or their own identities they would have?

@glassycans, nice to see some basic logic. I've never seen The Portland Mercury ask for an I/A to contact them ever, especially over such rage bait one sided story. Of course the guys significant other is gonna be livid, and have a purely negative view of this, but even the way they describe it does not sound near to the whole story. I don't know about anyone else, but I've never experienced, seen, or heard of someone getting thrown out physically....then asked for their ID after the fact. Also I get a feel that the author had many choice words in the moment of righteous indignation for the bouncer that had a lot more to do with them getting thrown out then the bathroom. If the Mercury does write an article I wanna see all sides, cause I don't believe for a second the author has told the whole story.

I, Anon: from a former bouncer in a Podunk town:

A man entering the ladies bathroom will be questioned, especially if another woman has complained. You are obligated to address the situation if another woman has expressed concern.

Questioning does not = getting kicked out. Being rude, making a scene, not answering questions (especially in regards to bathroom privacy) = getting kicked out.

It is not protocol to put your hands on a person, physical force is always reserved for the last resort. It does happen, and it usually happens because when the person is asked to leave they say no, make a bigger scene, sit down, and dare you to move them. One other note: it is taught (at least I was taught) to move people by the collar. This is so you don't injure a person or leave bruises etc by grabbing an arm or wrist or pushing them etc. If you grab the back of the collar it is the safest way to eject a person.

You do not have as much freedom as you'd like to think you do. You are not autonomous, you are not in control of your environment, and you are subject to the environment you are in. If you were asked to leave, you should have.

Outside of one bathroom in Alabama, I have never seen a mens room with a stall and no door. If this one bar happened to be the exception, move on. If I were trans and wanted to identify, I would surround myself with a culture and environment that allows me to flourish in that way.

Food for thought.

@whiskey

I was also a bouncer for many years, and the last thing I want to do is put my hands on someone, and cause a bigger hassle then necessary, and the times I did have to was almost always due to the individual, or people with an individual causing a scene, or instigating to the point where removing them from the property was the only solution for the safety of all customers. Bouncers who just throw people out physically without a clear reason rarely keep their jobs for long. Though I have seen plenty of doorless stalls, which is apart of the glorious experience of male masculinity. No one wants to watch you use the rest room, best you can do when you do in that situation is make a joke, and be quick.