Discriminated against: Condor Ferries has become the first firm to change the gender specific signs on the doors after Erin Bisson proved she was 'humiliated' at being told to use the disabled toilets

A transgender woman has won a landmark discrimination case forcing a ferry company to remove the words 'ladies' and 'gentlemen' from its toilets.

Condor Ferries has become the first firm to change the gender specific signs on the doors after Erin Bisson proved she was 'humiliated' at being told to use the disabled toilets.

Ms Bisson, formerly known as Robert until she identified herself as a woman, complained to the Jersey Employment and Discrimination Tribunal that she had been discriminated against after the operator banned her from using the 'ladies'.

She argued the use of words rather than symbols on toilets amounted to indirect discrimination.

It was the first decision of its kind taken since Jersey introduced gender discrimination laws in 2015 and Ms Bisson has now urged other companies to follow Condor's lead.

Condor later admitted to the tribunal that there had been a 'non-intentional and non-malicious act of discrimination'.

The company is now replacing the 'offending' words on its toilet doors and will use gender symbols instead.

The actions were approved by Ms Bisson and the tribunal panel as a satisfactory resolution to her complaint.

Condor, which sails between Poole, Portsmouth, France and the Channel Islands, now has until June 30 to implement the changes.

Ms Bisson, 40, a taxi driver from Jersey, said she was humiliated after being told by a staff member over the phone last September that she must use disabled facilities.

She said: 'I am transgender. Rather than just going to use the ladies toilets I phoned up Condor before I sailed to St Malo to advise them as such.

'They are the ones that own the toilets and decide who uses their facilities. I did not want to be humiliated. Condor said the only facility I should be using are the disabled facilities.'

Ms Bisson said she was 'totally embarrassed' by the incident and claimed it amounted to direct discrimination.

A panel chaired by Nicola Santos-Costa found her complaints to be 'well-grounded' and agreed that the recommendations drawn up by Condor would remedy the complaint.

Ms Bisson added: 'Gender is down to identity and symbols is one way of dealing with this.

'Companies should be aware that they should welcome everyone. If they are providing services they should not discriminate on religion, gender, disability, or anything.

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Condor later admitted to the tribunal that there had been a 'non-intentional and non-malicious act of discrimination'. The company is now replacing the 'offending' words on its toilet doors with gender symbols

'It is about equality.

'What is important is a lesson has been learned by Condor. As much as I dislike the fact that I had to take the action that I did, I have to respect Condor because they put their hands up, and they were wrong and made changes.

'I only hope other companies take Condor's lead.'

Condor Ferries said it had worked with Ms Bisson to draw up a list of measures 'to remove the possibility of inadvertent discrimination.'

A spokesman said: 'Following lodging of a complaint about transgender discrimination, we worked with the person concerned to draw up a list of measures that Condor ferries could take to remove the possibility of inadvertent discrimination.

'These measures were then approved by both the complainant and the tribunal and we have been happy to implement all actions to their satisfaction.'

Vic Tanner Davy, chair of Trans* Jersey, formed to provide support to transgender residents, said that while the group was 'pleased' the tribunal had found in favour of a transgender person, the community preferred 'the approach of education' rather than 'litigation' against employers.

How toilets have become one of the key battlegrounds for transgender rights around the world

The issues around transgender rights, and in particular the use of toilets, has divided opinion around the world, particularly in the US.

In March, North Carolina became the first state to pass a law requiring a transgender person to use whichever toilet matches their biological identity, rather than the one they identify with.

It means if they were born a man but have transitioned to become a woman, they would still have to use a male toilet.

The ruling caused huge controversy and has been challenged by the US Justice Department, which called it 'discriminatory'.

It also prompted music legend Bruce Springsteen to cancel a gig in the state in protest.

Texas Governor Gregg Abbott, pictured, said a US Government directive allowing students in all schools to use the gender bathroom they identify with was 'trampling the Constitution'

The US government responded by issuing a directive that schools in all states must allow transgender students to use whichever gender bathroom they identify with, and has threatened to withhold funding for education unless state governments comply.

But 11 states are now suing the government, branding the move a 'massive social experiment'.

Texas Governor Gregg Abbott, whose state could lose out on $10billion, said the Obama administration was 'trampling over the US constitution'.

There has also been a backlash from parents, with public meetings hearing concerns over children's safety and a lack of consultation from the Government.

One of the arguments put forward is that women and children may be attacked by men entering female bathrooms posing as transgender people, although the Justice Department said this threat was almost 'non-existent'.

Other states involved in the lawsuit are Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Louisiana, Maine, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Utah, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

The lawsuit accuses the Obama administration of 'running roughshod over commonsense policies' that protect children. It asks a judge to declare the directive unlawful.

US colleges have recently begun introducing all-gender bathrooms which have become another battleground in the debate, with LGBT organisations holding protests about transgender access by encouraging students to only use these 'inclusive' toilets.

Students at the University of California, Berkeley, went one step further, lining the streets of the campus with cups of fake urine and flyers demanding all-gender bathrooms.