That recent incident at the Liberty Hotel in Boston has brought some spirited conversations about gender identity and bathroom access to the forefront. Retired couple claim they were victims of unfair treatment at a Kentucky Derby event. Ansley Baker, 27, and Liz Victor, 29 — a same-sex couple — stirred up outrage when a mall security guard allegedly confronted Baker in the women’s restroom. This incident soon became a national media spotlight and polarized debate.
The terrifying incident began when Baker was in a stall inside the women’s restroom. The two offered a vivid account of a tense environment. The guard burst into the bathroom and ordered Baker to leave, claiming that she was a male. Baker and Victor were in different stalls when the incident started. They vigorously and vehemently deny the hotel’s fiction that they were in one stall.
Other women in line began shouting epithets at Baker, according to witnesses. They labeled her “a creep,” demanding to have her ousted. Baker described the moment saying, “Once the stall door opened, and I’m the only one in there, it escalated further.”
Liz Victor, who happened to be close to the sinks, heard the noise and looked to see a security guard with Baker cornered. She recounted her immediate confusion when she recognized Baker’s shoes, saying, “I looked down and I saw her shoes and that’s when I was like, ‘What is going on?’”
Baker recalled the confrontation with the guard, stating, “I pulled my shorts up. I hadn’t even tied them. One of the security guards was there telling me to get out of the bathroom, that I was a man in the women’s bathroom. I said, ‘I’m a woman.’”
The pair have since reached out to Boston Mayor Michelle Wu’s office to report their experience. They want their incident to shine a light on larger issues in society regarding discrimination against those with a non-binary gender identity. They encouraged each other with the reminder that they aren’t the only targets of hostility for who they are. Baker noted, “We know we’re not the only ones that face this kind of thing.” Victor added, “It was a very scary situation, but trans women experience this every single day in the US and across the world.”
The Liberty Hotel issued a statement responding to this incident, insisting that as a property it is committed to providing a safe and inclusive environment. “The Liberty Hotel has a zero-tolerance policy for any physical altercations on our property. The safety of our guests and staff is our priority, and this event is under investigation,” the statement read. “The Liberty Hotel is and always will be an ally of the LGBTQ+ community and a place where everyone is welcome and celebrated.”
This case echoes larger national conversations about gender identity and restroom access. Over the past few months, Republican members have been clamoring for a new bill. Their intent is to make it harder for transgender people to use facilities consistent with their gender identity. In mid-November 2024, newly-elected Representative Nancy Mace introduced a smart, forward-looking bill. Unfortunately, this legislation would prevent their colleague, fellow representative Sarah McBride, from accessing women’s restrooms. Additionally, former President Donald Trump implemented executive orders that limited access to gender transitions for minors. He continued to push bans on trans athletes competing in women’s sports.
Speaker Mike Johnson has been a vocal advocate for bills that bar trans and nonbinary people from using their proper bathrooms. His position further exacerbates the extremely politically charged context in which these issues exist.