By Claisse Opulencia

Two transgender students who were told to use a university's "gender neutral" toilets instead of the men's have received an apology.

Toby George, 21, and Tilbert Wilson, 24, who are both biologically women but identify as men, were confronted by a security guard as they left the male loos at Canterbury Christ Church University.

The postgraduate students were asked to show ID cards and challenged over why they had not used either the female facilities, or the "gender neutral" toilets in the building next door.

Toby, who is studying criminal justice and is the student union's LGBTQ+ officer, said: "The security guard said the gender neutral toilets are available. I said 'well, I don't identify as gender neutral, I identify as a man'.

"Just because I don’t have the parts, it is quite disappointing this was allowed to happen.

"The security guard said he had been told to ask for student ID cards if there was any suspicious behaviour.

"I studied policing as an undergraduate. Suspicious behaviour is someone doing drugs - not a transgender person going to the toilet.

"We're pretty thick-skinned now but if it happened to anyone else, someone who just came out, having their identity shredded to pieces could have seriously messed up their self-esteem."

The pair told student newspaper Unified that when they showed the NGS Security employee university documentation stating students are allowed to choose which toilets to use based on their self-indentified gender, the guard took a picture and dismissed them.

After the incident in October, which took place at a charity choir event, Toby and Tilbert complained to the university.

Christ Church's policy states that students must be treated "as their self-identified gender", and "this includes the use of facilities, including toilets, the use of gender markers where they are allocated, and respecting the name, title and pronouns that have been requested".

The pair have since received a letter of apology from NGS Security, which is contracted by the university.

The firm also said it has given its staff extra training on the university's equality and diversity policies, as well as apologising for "comments and actions that may have caused offence".

A spokesman for the university said: "Following a report regarding students' use of toilet facilities within the Students' Union (SU) building a meeting was arranged between the students and representatives of the University.

"The meeting was very productive, and a positive way forward was agreed between all who attended.

"This included all security staff (internal and external) being given up-to-date information on the use of toilets within the SU's licensed premises and the wider University.

"It has now been clarified to all concerned that any person can use whichever toilet aligns with their gender identity."

n What do you think? Email kentishgazette@thekmgroup.co.uk.