A Creston restaurant has received backlash on Facebook this past week for new bathroom signage. 

At Julio香蕉视频直播檚 Lounge (also home to Romano香蕉视频直播檚 Runaway Lanes), the signs to the single-occupant stalls now indicate 香蕉视频直播渂alls at birth香蕉视频直播� or 香蕉视频直播渘o balls at birth香蕉视频直播� next to the traditional symbols for men and women. 

A photo of the bathrooms was posted on several nation-wide social media pages asking for a boycott of the business. 

香蕉视频直播淛ulio香蕉视频直播檚 Lounge doesn't want your business if you are a believer in human rights, safety of all, a trans person, or a lover and supporter of trans people,香蕉视频直播� the post states.

香蕉视频直播淚 know a few incredible trans locals who frequented Julio's regularly and praised and recommended it to many. You didn't even know they were trans and were very kind to us. It's pretty sad you decided to go to these lengths to make someone you don't understand feel hated, less than, and unsafe, but that's your prerogative!香蕉视频直播�

Negative reviews have started pouring in on Julio香蕉视频直播檚 Facebook and Google pages, some from people outside of Creston, calling out the 香蕉视频直播渢ransphobic atmosphere香蕉视频直播� and 香蕉视频直播渂igoted behaviour.香蕉视频直播�

Julio's owner Wade Romano has backed up his choice to display the signs, despite the controversial debate it has sparked in the community. 

香蕉视频直播淲hat I find offensive is men in women香蕉视频直播檚 bathrooms, men in girl sports, people being forced to agree with something that is offensive to them,香蕉视频直播� he said in a Facebook comment. "Nobody cares."

Romano spoke with Black Press Media on Feb. 25 and said he plans to keep the bathroom signs up for the foreseeable future, adding that business has actually increased since the social media posts.

"It's an adult thing, and you've got to be an adult to have a sense of humour... They're still funny. I don't care. You can twist it however you want, but they're still funny."

When asked if he plans to connect with the local 2SLGBTQ+ community to address concerns, Romano said no. He said the signs won't be removed "unless for some reason somebody forced me to take them down."

He claimed people have been threatening people who work at Julio's, which he said has ruined any chance of discussions.

"You go around saying that stuff about people, trying to ruin their business, trying to shut them down. All it's done is make more people come in."

Romano claims members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community have worked at Julio's, past and present. He added there haven't been any concerns about the signs from employees. 

"There's nothing dangerous. There's nothing offensive. Anybody can use any bathroom here, it's not like it's designated one or the other. It's just a joke."

OUTspoken, Creston香蕉视频直播檚 2SLGBTQ+ community group, have found the public signs at Julio香蕉视频直播檚 Lounge to be particularly disturbing, whether it was intended as humour or not. 

香蕉视频直播淚'm a 27-year-old non-binary trans person who was born in Creston and have lived here a lot of my life,香蕉视频直播� said one member, who wishes to remain anonymous. 香蕉视频直播淲hen I saw the signage posted, I was horrified. I was in a panic, worried that youth would see this and feel the way I had in high school here, unsafe and unwelcome. We should be working towards drawing our community members together, not making exclusionary jokes and hateful remarks."

Shanel Samadhi, spokesperson for OUTspoken, said the actions of this business will continue to cause direct harm, threatening both the mental health and physical safety of transgender people in their community.

香蕉视频直播淚t sends a clear and damaging message that some human beings are less deserving of respect and dignity than others,香蕉视频直播� Samadhi told the Advance. 香蕉视频直播淭his rhetoric fuels hostility and emboldens those with discriminatory beliefs, giving them an invitation to openly express hate in increasingly dangerous and overt ways, forcing many people to live in constant fear.香蕉视频直播�

As a community built on love, compassion, and unwavering support, OUTspoken wants Creston residents to reflect on how words and actions will shape the reputation and future of the town, especially when it comes to the impact on tourism. 

香蕉视频直播淏y standing together and raising our voices, let us remember that the louder our love, the smaller the hate,香蕉视频直播� said Samadhi. 香蕉视频直播淟et us nurture the values of respect, safety, and inclusion for all, while supporting people and businesses that stand for love, not hate.香蕉视频直播�

OUTspoken can be reached via Facebook messenger or outspoken-creston@hotmail.com. 

香蕉视频直播淔or those who are struggling or feeling unsafe, please know you are not alone,香蕉视频直播� said Samadhi.  香蕉视频直播淵ou are welcome to reach out to us at any time.香蕉视频直播�

For those in need of further support, contact Crisis Services Canada: 1-833-456-4566 (available 24/7 for anyone in crisis), Trans Lifeline: 1-877-565-8860 (available 24/7, for trans people in distress), PFLAG CANADA: 1-888-530-6777 (peer to peer support).

Educational resources on how to better understand the transgender community can be found at www.weareallies.ca and www.transcarebc.ca/education-centre.