I wanted to report an uncomfortable experience with a male staff member the evening of 2010’s music night at Mahall’s. My friend and I exited the club portion of the venue to use the bathroom. I asked a Mahall’s staff member in the lobby where the bathroom was for us to use. He said our options were either the bathroom in the lobby or up the stairs toward the Roxy side of the building. We went to the Roxy bathroom (the bathroom did not appear closed because all the lights were on, there was no signage or staff posted there to inform guests it was closed). I entered a stall and shortly after a different Mahall’s staff member came into the bathrooms and yelled at me to clear out (I was literally using the toilet) by pounding on the door of the stall I was using. He told me to hurry it up and get out of the bathroom. I exited the stall, washed my hands while the staff member was leaning against the wall, staring at me and told me again to hurry it up. I was dumbfounded at how rude the staff member was and how he treated me like I was doing something I should not have been.

It sounds ridiculous to say this but my friend and I were not drinking and we don’t use drugs, so there was no obnoxious, rude or otherwise suspicious behavior. We were literally just trying to use the bathroom.

This was my 3rd time at Mahall’s. The two prior visits were all within the past 6 weeks and prior to that night those were positive, safe experiences. That evening will be the last time I will attend an event at that venue. A situation where a staff member follows someone into the bathroom without an explanation (ie “hey sorry, this bathroom is closed right now” etc.) could be construed as predatory or profiling behavior. Neither is acceptable.

I contacted Mahall’s management to report this after it occurred, but never received a response after multiple attempts. I have escalated my concerns to a public location, but this is not my preferred method of addressing this issue. It was just my only option, unfortunately.