This Video of Police Ejecting a Lesbian Without ID from a Women's Bathroom Is Going Viral

Impact

In the YouTube video below, police demand ID from a masculine-presenting lesbian in order to use the women's restroom as another woman films the ordeal, repeatedly shouting "This is a girl!" 

The young woman in the video never outs herself as a lesbian. However, after the officers begin to harass her and assume her gender based off of her masculine presentation, one friend yells, "This is a girl and you guys are harassing her because she's a fucking dyke?" 

Several police officers crowd around the young woman, who yells "I'm a fucking female" before one officer gets very close to her face and asks for ID. 

Mic/YouTube

After the young girl does not produce any ID, the officers put their hands on her, place her against a wall and continue calling her "sir." 

While the police continue to call the young woman "sir," friends yell, "That is a fucking girl!" 

As the police escort the young woman out of the restroom, they tell her friends that you can "all leave if you want" to which one friend yells "We are leaving!" in response.

Mic/YouTube

According to myth-busting site Snopes, though the video surfaced online on Wednesday and is relevant to the national conversation on gender and public bathrooms, it is likely much older than that. 

The site says that the proceedings captured obviously did happen, but that they probably predate North Carolina's HB2, which requires people in North Carolina to use the restroom that matches their gender assigned at birth rather than their gender identity. 

Though the video is old, it serves as a reminder of the inherent problems with policing bathrooms, especially for gender-nonconforming people. GNC people already face fear when using public bathrooms and this video only highlights the danger. Being surrounded by a horde of police is not an ideal result when you're just trying to pee in peace

h/t Towleroad