An Atlanta restaurant is being accused of trans discrimination after a video of the manager denying a trans TikToker service because she isn't dressed according to her gender went viral on social media.
TikTok user @pakozolanski, who identifies as androgynous, went to The Monticello in Atlanta on January 14th to celebrate her friend's birthday when she was refused entry into the establishment over her attire.
'He Must Dress His Gender'
The video, shared by Zolanski on the platform, starts off with the manager arguing with one of the TikToker's friends.
"Let me explain, if you go to some places, they say we can deny service to anyone," the manager says. "We are not denying him service. What we're saying is he must dress his gender. If he dresses his gender, he is more than welcome to go inside."
The camera pans around to reveal Zolanksi, who is seen wearing a skirt, and the rest of the party waiting outside the restaurant. "This is not acceptable. As a trans human being in America, he cannot go to Monticello," the woman filming is heard saying. Watch the video below:
In a series of follow-up videos, Zolanski explained that she and seven other friends were supposed to meet at the restaurant, where they had reserved a table and paid for bottle service for the birthday celebrations but she was the last one to arrive as she got off late at work.
Zolanski said when she tried to enter the restaurant, they asked for her identification, which she happily provided. However, management refused her entry, saying she did not look like the person on the ID card.
She said she was then told to dress like a man and when they called the owner he said it was "their policy." Zolanski said she and the entire party decided to walk out and were not even given a refund for the bottle service they paid for.
Social Media Reactions
The video went viral after popular TikTok user @auntkaren01 reposted the clip on her page. The clip garnered hundreds of comments from users with some accusing the restaurant of transphobia while others urged Zolanski to take the establishment to court for discrimination.
"'We're not denying him service,' while explicitly denying service. Shameful," wrote one user.
"CLOTHES DON'T HAVE GENDER ALIGNMENTS FFS," commented another.
"Lawyer up! This is discrimination at its finest!," opined yet another.
The restaurant's social media pages also received a barrage of negative comments after the video went viral, prompting the business to turn off comments.
Zolanski is planning to take legal action against The Monticello and one of her friends has even set up a GoFundMe page to help pay for the expenses.
We have reached out to the restaurant for comment but have not heard back from them as of publishing.
