Latest news with #KentuckyDerby-themed
Boston Globe
3 days ago
- Boston Globe
State panel investigating hotel bathroom incident where woman was accused of being a man, lawyer says
'We are so happy and pleased that the Commission Against Discrimination ... has taken it upon themselves to help these women out,' he said, as Baker and Victor sat by his side holding hands. A spokesperson for the commission said they could neither confirm nor deny the existence of a complaint on Tuesday. The next step would be an investigative conference held in the first 30-45 days of the filing, they said. Advertisement Liberty Hotel officials did not immediately return a message seeking comment Tuesday. Kesten said Baker and Victor have not asked for monetary compensation, and they have not filed suit against the hotel. Baker and Victor had attended a Kentucky Derby-themed party at the hotel on May 3. At one point, Baker had to use the restroom, and Victor went in with her. Baker said Victor usually accompanies her to public restrooms because people have previously accused her of being a man. Advertisement But shortly after Baker entered a stall, a man banged on the door and told her to come out. After she pulled her shorts up and stepped out, a security guard accused her of being a man in the women's restroom and demanded to see her ID, Baker said Although Baker showed the guard her ID and she and Victor repeatedly told him she is a woman, the couple was escorted out of the hotel, she said. As they left the restroom, Baker said, a couple of other women made comments, calling Baker 'a creep' and telling the guard to 'get him out of here.' Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Baker said she has faced 'comments' and 'looks' when using the women's room in the past, but the incident at the Liberty Hotel was her 'worst nightmare coming true.' 'This is the first time that something like this has escalated to the degree that it did,' she said. 'I wasn't surprised that something escalated, but it was terrifying.' Kesten, Ansley's attorney, also noted the hotel's response in two public statements in the days following the bathroom incident. The hotel's first statement said the bathroom was cleared because two adults were using the same stall, which is not permitted. Baker and Victor have denied that account, saying they never entered the stall together. The next day, the hotel released a second statement that told a different story. This one said the security guard had been suspended and staff would undergo 'mandatory retraining ... on inclusive practices and guest interaction protocols, with a particular focus on creating a safe and welcoming space for LGBTQ+ individuals.' Advertisement Kesten said he is pressing the hotel to explain how the first statement came to be released and what led the hotel to suspend the guard. 'It reeks of legal language,' Kesten said. Nick Stoico can be reached at
News18
08-05-2025
- News18
Same-Sex Couple Removed From Hotel Restroom After Guard Asks For Proof Of Gender
Last Updated: Ansley Baker, 28, and her girlfriend Liz Victor, 27, had checked into The Liberty Hotel over the weekend to attend a Kentucky Derby-themed party. In a troubling incident that sparked outrage among LGBTQ+ advocates, a same-sex couple visiting a hotel in Boston, US, was allegedly harassed by a male security guard over one partner's gender expression – an encounter they describe as humiliating and frightening. Ansley Baker, 28, and her girlfriend Liz Victor, 27, had checked into The Liberty Hotel over the weekend to attend a Kentucky Derby-themed party. According to a CBS News report, the evening took an unsettling turn when the couple entered the women's restroom which led to a confrontation that drew widespread attention. Baker, who is a woman by birth and identifies as female, presents with a masculine appearance. Her attire and haircut often prompt people to mistake her for a man. But nothing could have prepared her for what happened next. While Baker was inside a restroom stall and Victor waited in the lobby area, a male security guard entered the women's bathroom unannounced and began banging on the stall door. According to the couple, the guard accused Baker of being a man and demanded she leave the women's restroom immediately. When she emerged, visibly shaken, she attempted to explain she was a woman but the guard wasn't convinced. He reportedly insisted she present identification to 'prove" her gender. Victor, alarmed by the escalating scene, intervened. She said the guard continued his aggressive stance, even after Baker produced her ID. The couple recounted that the guard's imposing presence and hostile tone made them feel unsafe, but Baker complied out of fear. Despite showing proof, she was still ordered to leave the restroom. The situation only worsened once they stepped outside. Other women in line, misled by the guard's claims, reportedly hurled verbal abuses at Baker, accusing her of being a man who had infiltrated the women's space. What began as a night out ended with the couple being asked to leave the premises altogether. Though the hotel later stated it had fired the security guard following an internal investigation, Baker and Victor say the damage was done, and they never received a direct apology. In a written statement issued on Tuesday, The Liberty Hotel emphasised its support for the LGBTQ+ community and said the guard had acted on a misunderstanding, claiming he believed two people had entered a restroom together, a possible violation of hotel policy. But Baker and Victor have dismissed that explanation. They argue that when the guard entered the restroom, only one person – Baker – was in a stall, and Victor was clearly standing outside. They question why, if the guard was merely concerned about occupancy, he instead demanded proof of gender and continued pressing even after being corrected. 'This was a deeply disturbing experience," said Baker, adding, 'I've never been treated like that in my life, especially in a place that claimed to be inclusive." The incident sparked renewed discussion about the challenges faced by gender-nonconforming individuals, particularly in gendered spaces like restrooms. First Published: May 08, 2025, 14:20 IST
Yahoo
04-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Antero Foundation hosts 8th Hats, Hearts & Horses Gala
BRIDGEPORT, (WBOY) — The Antero Foundation galloped into giving at its 8th Annual Hats, Hearts & Horses Gala, a Kentucky Derby-themed fundraising event held at the Pete Dye Golf Club in Bridgeport on Saturday. Proceeds from the event will support the Foundation's continued investment in charitable initiatives throughout West Virginia and Ohio. Beneficiary organizations include the Mountaineer Food Bank, West Virginia University Medicine Children's Hospital, Children's Home Society of West Virginia, United Way of Harrison and Doddridge Counties and Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children. Pet Wash fundraiser helps students and community members Over the past seven years, the Antero Foundation's Hats, Hearts & Horses Gala has generated more than $600,000 in support of its philanthropic initiatives. President of the Antero Foundation Al Schopp was happy to help make a difference. 'It's our partners in the oil patch, it's our, that come out to support this because they know that 100% of the proceeds tonight, gross proceeds, goes to some good charity in North Central West Virginia,' Schopp said. 'Last year the Antero Foundation I think was able to give back between $1.1 and $1.2 Million back to the community in 2024, and we would like to at least give that and maybe increase that.' The Antero Foundation's mission is to support thriving, healthy communities by funding nonprofits in areas where Antero operates and its employees live and work, with a focus on education, health and human services, community development, the environment and arts and culture. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Communities in Schools sets Jockeys, Juleps and All that Jazz
Apr. 29—The Communities in Schools of the Permian Basin fundraiser Jockeys, Juleps and All that Jazz is coming up at 5:30 p.m. May 2 at the Petroleum Club in Midland. This is the 11th edition of the Kentucky Derby-themed event in 13 years. Executive Director Eliseo Elizondo said COVID interrupted things for two years. The event usually draws between 300 and 500 people. For the most part, Communities in Schools is grant funded, but it has other funding sources and even gets some state money. But as far as local fundraisers, this is the only one. "It plays an important part, because we're trying to ... net six figures. This goes a long way in helping us maintain our staffing levels to where we can maintain our services and our footprint in the Permian Basin," Elizondo said. Initially established to address the area's dropout rate, Communities in Schools of the Permian Basin's mission is to "surround students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life." It serves Ector, Midland and Reeves counties. They were in Big Spring, but the district ran out of funding. Midland and Ector County ISD have maintained their financial support, despite both districts having to undergo belt-tightening measures. This is important and speaks to the knowledge and confidence the districts have in Communities in Schools. "I'm extremely grateful and happy to hear that so far, so good that we're not on anybody's chopping block. It's business. I realize that. I've served on school boards, and I know those tough decisions that come up when you're in those situations. You've got to make some really tough decisions ... so I have an extreme appreciation for that processes they are going through, and the pain they're feeling," Elizondo said. But having come through it so far, he said, speaks volumes to Communities in Schools' on the districts in the community. "We wrap up in May, towards the end of the school year. It's a Kentucky Derby-themed event, hence the jockeys and juleps and all that jazz," Elizondo said. He added that this is a busy time of year, especially for the schools, but it's a chance for the organization, the board, schools and supporters to have a fundraiser and celebrate the accomplishments of the year. "It's kind of a twofer in that sense. Like I said, it's a good time and, of course, an important fundraiser for us," Elizondo said. Generally, it has raised six figures. "The schools support us financially and logistically. Then that goes for other funders. Our foundations are great partners ... and then we get a little bit of state funding, which, again, is not guaranteed. I'm on pins and needles waiting to see the outcome of what the budget looks like coming out of this legislative session. Every two years I've got to sweat that out. There's a lot of things up in the air right now. ... I try not to assume anything. We're planning to continue to do our work to the best of our ability, as much as we can and maintain, if not even grow possibly, in the near future," Elizondo said. He has been at CIS of the Permian Basin for nine years and when he first got there state funding made up about 40 percent of the budget and he's got it down to about 20 percent. That's with tripling the size of the program. It is administered as a line item through the Texas Education Agency budget. Elizondo said they keep an eye on public school funding because as public education funding goes, so goes funding for Communities in Schools in general.
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Kentucky Derby fundraiser returns to Panama City Beach
PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. (WMBB) – Get ready to don your fanciest hats and cleanest suits, Hats & Horses, a Kentucky Derby-themed fundraiser, is returning to Bay County for its fifth year this weekend. This year's edition of the event has a new location, the Krewe of Dominique Youx Event Center on Holley Wood Rd. in Panama City Beach. There you enjoy great food and drinks, take part in a silent auction, play roulette and other dice games, and most importantly, watch the Kentucky Derby. Just like in years past, all the proceeds from the event will be donated to Club 360. Gulf Coast State College hosts free student art show with diverse works The Bay County non-profit's mission is to provide opportunities for area women and help ensure that everyone gets a chance to succeed. 'A lot of them fall through the cracks because some can't get scholarships, and some do get scholarships. The ones in the middle are really the ones that we're focusing on,' said Victoria Williams with Hats & Horses. 'We like to go through and educate them about career paths, career choices, and what it takes. So it's just our mission.' Hats & Horses will be held on Saturday, May 3rd and run from 3 to 6:30 p.m. Individual tickets cost $45. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
