RICHMOND, Va. - Eryn Brown staged a public boycott Saturday after she said she was denied entry to the women's restroom at the McDonald's on Broad Street near Boulevard several times.

Brown is a transgender woman.

"They would either stop me at the door or just before I got to the door," Brown said. "They told me that I wasn't to use the women's bathroom, I'm to use the men's."

Brown said she does not feel safe using the men's bathroom.

"That's something that all transwomen face," she said. "Violence and possibly getting raped."

Brown staged the boycott because she said what happened to her is a clear violation of transgender rights.

The owner of the McDonald's location issued a statement on the matter.

"At my restaurant, we stand for inclusion, and we strive to create an environment where everyone feels welcome," Freda Thornton said. "As such, we continue to do our best to meet the needs of our customers and we are reviewing this matter carefully."

Brown said she hoped her protest sent a strong message to other restaurant owners.

"They need to clearly think about how they approach transgender people," Brown said.