Transgender man wins payout after barber refused him haircut

Lee McLoughlin said he was “absolutely thrilled” following the ruling of the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC).

“It is a huge victory for all transgender people and is the best outcome I could have wished for,” he said.

Mr McLoughlin told the WRC that he asked to have his haircut but the barber mistook him for a woman and refused.

He told the barber that he just wanted a “short back and sides” but the barber said “we don’t cut ladies hair, I’m sorry”.

Mr McLoughlin said he was a transgender man and alleged that the barber responded: “I am sorry, we can’t cut ladies’ hair. It’s a contract that we have with another hairdresser around the corner, so if we cut a woman’s hair, we will be fined.”

The WRC upheld his claim of discrimination under the Equal Status Act 2000, and adjudication officer Gerard McMahon ordered that the responded pay him €5,000.