Transgender woman says she was kicked out of Tempe bar

Briana Sandy, a transgender woman, ignited a social-media firestorm Sunday when she reported on Facebook that she'd been kicked out of a popular Tempe bar because of her gender identity.

On Saturday afternoon, Sandy said she went into Tempe Tavern to buy a soda and watch American Pharoah compete for the Triple Crown while her car was being serviced.

When Sandy got to the bar, the bartender refused to serve her, she said.

After the story broke, the bar reported on its Facebook page that its staff "welcome everybody." The bar wrote that it received threats.

Tempe Tavern regular Danny Palmer said he believes the incident to be a misunderstanding.

"He is a good guy," Palmer said of the owner. "He is not a hateful person."

Palmer said he's seen people of all races and gender at the bar and believes the new bartender made a mistake.

But Sandy said she's been the target of more discrimination since Caitlyn Jenner appeared on the cover of Vanity Fair. The celebrity Olympian has moved transgender issues to the forefront in the days since. Sandy anticipated a reaction.

"I knew it was coming, but this isn't what I expected," she said.

Tempe Tavern confirmed the incident on its Facebook page.

"A person of the community came into the bar and was denied service," the bar stated. "Unfortunately, the new bartender overreacted and assumed she was from" an adult bookstore next door.

The bar later removed the post from its Facebook page.

Sandy has been legally a woman since September. She said when she walked into the bar, everyone was friendly and greeted her.

Within moments of sitting down, the bartender told Sandy to leave, she said.

After Sandy posted her experience on Facebook, dozens of people responded and began posting negative comments on the bar's Facebook and Yelp pages.

In its post, since removed, on its Facebook page, the bar claimed that personal information about the bar's owner and threats of violence had been received.

The Facebook page for the bar has been flooded with hundreds of comments, most of which are negative toward the bar.

One user stated he is "hoping for a public apology and a change of policy, staff, management, or whatever the issue may have been," adding that "I've lost my favorite bar."