FACEBOOK/ALAMY Transgender Erin Bisson was humiliated after being told to use disabled toilets on cruise

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Erin Bisson, a taxi driver formerly known as Robert before identifying herself as a woman, complained to the Jersey Employment and Discrimination Tribunal that she had been discriminated by ferry firm Condor. She alleged the staff said she would have to use the disabled toilets, rather than the ‘ladies’. Condor later admitted to the hearing that there had been a "non-intentional and non-malicious act of discrimination" towards Ms Bisson.

The company subsequently agreed to remove the words ‘ladies’ and ‘gentlemen’ on all of its toilet doors, replacing them instead with the appropriate gender symbol. The move followed talks with Ms Bisson and the tribunal panel in a bid to come up with a satisfactory resolution to the complaint. Condor now has until 30 June to implement the changes. The company also says that all of its staff have also now been trained in how to treat transgender customers sensitively.

GETTY The ferry company have apologised for 'non-intentional and non-malicious act of discrimination'

Ms Bisson told how she had been "humiliated" after being told by a staff member over the phone that she would have to use the disabled toilets when she travelled with the company.

Condor said the only facility I should be using are the disabled facilities Erin Bisson

The 40-year-old taxi driver said: “I’m transgender. “Rather that just going to use the ladies toilets I phoned up Condor before I sailed to St Malo advising 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 that she was "completely embarrassed" by the incident, claiming that she had phoned the company in advance as she did not want to be humiliated in public. Ms Bisson, who lives on the island, lodged a complaint with the tribunal on 26 November last year and ‘community mediation’ was entered into between herself and Condor in January, but this did not successfully resolve her complaints.

GETTY Condor announced that they would be taking measures to remove 'inadvertent discrimination'

Both she and Condor wanted to avoid a full hearing before the tribunal and the ferry operator later made suggestions to Ms Bisson regarding changes it was willing to make to its customer service. A panel, chaired by Nicola Santos-Costa, found that "Ms Bisson’s complaints of discrimination are well founded" and agreed that the recommendations drawn up by Condor would "remedy" her complaint. Following the successful resolution, Ms Bisson said: “Companies should be aware that they should welcome everyone. If they are providing services they should not discriminate on religion, gender, disability or anything. It’s about equality.