Man in female lavatory told clubbers he 'identifies as woman'

A moustachioed man has been accused of refusing to leave the female lavatory at a nightclub as he said he 'identifies as a woman'.

University student Connie Shaw, 20, was having a night out for students at the Warehouse in Leeds, West Yorks when she spotted the man in the women's toilets on Monday. 

She said the man wearing a black t-shirt, who has not been identified, refused to leave the toilets and told those protesting him being there: 'I identify as a woman'.

A bouncer at the club was told about the situation and ended up kicking him out of the toilets.

The Leeds university third-year student has now spoken of her 'outrage' at the ordeal.

She said: 'It was like he had prepared to respond with that if anyone questioned him. There was no hesitation.'

Ms Shaw who was with a friend, sought help to get him out.

She told MailOnline: '[Other women and girls were] just telling him to get out - it's loud in there so that's all I could make out and once I'd heard him say he identifies as a woman I just went to get a bouncer straight away.' 

The philosophy, ethics and religion student added: 'He had his back to the cubical and seemed to just be scanning the room. 

'I'm not sure who he was with or if he was waiting for someone. I was just outraged that he was in there in the first place and even more so that as a result of gender ideology and the push for Self ID, he was fully aware of how to use it to his advantage.'

She reported the incident to West Yorkshire Police but the force told it was not a crime and it was 'down to the establishment to deal with' 

She went on: 'At universities especially, we are told to be entirely inclusive, and not to question. Women are now more than ever not guaranteed single sex spaces.'

She added: 'When Sarah Everard was murdered, many feminists were outraged by those saying 'Not All Men', but now when it comes to men who identify as women, that logic no longer applies. 

'Somehow, 'real' trans women are not a threat to women according to trans rights activists. But how are we meant to know who are the 'real' ones?'

She added: 'What happened to 'believe all women' of the Me Too movement? I've been accused of making this story up by trans rights activists.'

Ms Shaw shared a picture of the man on a post on social media which attracted a wave of reaction.

One of the many people liking her tweet was Harry Potter author, JK Rowling.

Rowling previously said that women's rights are facing 'the greatest assault in my lifetime' by trans activists and she regrets not speaking out 'far sooner'.

The 58-year-old Harry Potter author has previously been criticised for her staunch views on gender identity, but has always strongly denied accusations of transphobia.

However since this video, she claims she has been accused of going into the men's toilet.

She said: 'I've had trans rights activists say they don't believe the photo of the man is actually in the toilet because toilets are never that dark,'

She added: 'I've been accused of going into the men's toilet myself and just taking a photo of a random man.'

She had no criticism of the club's handling of the situation, saying once the man was spotted he was 'very quickly and firmly removed'. 

It's not clear he if was removed from the club entirely.

The Warehouse was approached for comment.