A Toronto bar that allegedly refused to let a disabled woman use its washroom faces a hearing before the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario.
The case stems from an incident last summer when Haily Butler-Henderson asked to use the only restroom at the Pentagram Bar and Grill in Toronto’s east end.
Despite repeated requests, she was told she could not use the facility, located in the basement, because if she injured herself she would sue the bar.
Butler-Henderson, 24, who has spina bifida and uses forearm crutches, says a waitress physically prevented her from using the stairs.
The bar finally relented and allowed Butler-Henderson to use the washroom, but she says the incident infringed on her human rights, prompting her to file her complaint.
“I was definitely being denied dignity and I was definitely embarrassed,” Butler-Henderson told The Canadian Press news agency.
“Having somebody yell in your face about your disability and whether or not you can use the bathroom is never really a pleasant experience.”
Butler-Henderson says it was not the waitress’s place to assess her ability to navigate the stairwell based solely on the fact that she has a disability and uses crutches.
The crux of Butler-Henderson’s complaint is that a person with a disability has the right to assume a certain amount of risk for herself.
She also maintains that washroom access is a fundamental human right, essential for functioning in society.
The bar has not yet responded to her complaint and no hearing date has yet been set.
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