EXCLUSIVE: Woman accused of being ‘transphobic’ by Starbucks worker insists she’d used the word ‘lady’ to describe another staff member without realising that they did not ‘identify as a woman’

• Vanessa Thomas was accused of being ‘transphobic’ by trans Starbucks worker
• Read: Police launch probe after transgender worker allegedly assaulted person 

The woman accused by a transgender Starbucks worker of being ‘transphobic’ says the whole row stemmed from her using the word ‘lady’ to describe a member of staff without realising that they did not ‘identify as a woman’.

Vanessa Thomas, 55, was seen on camera being screamed at by the trans store manager near the ferry terminal of Southampton, Hampshire.

Mrs Thomas revealed to family and friends that she had tried to pay for her coffee using cash but was informed by a Starbucks worker that this would not be possible.

A trans branch manager then interrupted and said she could only pay using a card with Mrs Thomas hitting back: ‘I’m not talking to you, I’m talking to the lady behind the counter,’ sparking the furious row.

The Starbucks employee has since been sacked. and now police have confirmed that they are investigating the incident. 

A relative told MailOnline: ‘The Starbucks trans employee became very angry and told Vanessa that the person behind the counter doesn’t identify as a lady. And then it all kicked off and she was accused of being transphobic.

‘The whole incident has left Vanessa very upset and distraught and she’s currently on holiday recovering.’

Vanessa Thomas (pictured) was seen on camera being screamed at by a trans Starbucks store manager at the branch near the ferry terminal of Southampton, Hampshire

The incident is believed to have been recorded by Ms Thomas’s partner Mark Andrews, 60, who posted it on social media

The 55-year-old, who lives in Cowes on the Isle of Wight, says the staff member ‘threw her belongings into the air’ as she was physically removed from the café.

The incident is believed to have been recorded by Ms Thomas’s partner Mark Andrews, 60, who posted it on social media.

READ MORE: Police launch probe after trans Starbucks worker was filmed aggressively accusing customer of being transphobic then ‘assaulting’ person filming the incident

Responding to the video, Ms Thomas posted that it did not capture the full gravity of what took place.

She writes: ‘The shop had cameras so I had to be cool, it was so much worse, he snatched my bag and through (sic) it up in the air over the counter and he picked me up and through (sic) me out then slammed the door and smashed the glass in it,’ followed by two laughing emojis.

Ms Thomas adds: ‘He then put his coat on and done a runner, I have reported it with the police and Starbucks, he was out of order.’

In another post she writes: ‘I was in complete shock, I have reported it to Starbucks and the police.’

A family friend told MailOnline that the altercation started after Ms Thomas was told by a Starbucks employee serving her that they did not accept cash payments.

The friend added: ‘Vanessa just said ‘Oh, another company not accepting cash payments.’ A transgender Starbucks employee then confronted her and said she had to pay card.

‘Vanessa told her: ‘I’m not talking to you, I’m talking to the lady behind the counter.’ The Starbucks employee became very angry and told Vanessa that the person behind the counter doesn’t identify as a lady. And then it all kicked off and she was accused of being transphobic.’

The friend revealed that Ms Thomas has been left ‘distraught’ and ‘shocked’ by the incident and has gone away on holiday to recuperate.

A transgender woman was sacked by Starbucks after footage showed her berating Ms Thomas and allegedly assaulting her partner who filmed the incident

Footage shows the transgender woman approaching the man filming after the row before knocking his phone out his hand 

During the angry confrontation, footage shows Ms Thomas defending herself and stating: ‘You’re rude, don’t ever call me transphobic, ever. You do not know me.’

In response, the transgender Starbucks employee says: ‘You’re calling me a man, you’re being transphobic, Karen. Now get out.’

‘Karen’ is a derisive insult imported from the US, taking aim at white, middle-aged women. Feminists have criticised it as a misogynistic term.

The conversation heats up, as Ms Thomas insists, ‘do not call me transphobic’.

The transgender employee then claps in Ms Thomas’s and denies her request for a refund, adding: ‘You are transphobic, now get out.’

Repeatedly, Ms Thomas is told to ‘get out’ and that she is ‘trespassing’, before the employee appears to notice a man using his smartphone filming the encounter.

A relative told MailOnline: ‘The Starbucks trans employee became very angry and told Vanessa that the person behind the counter doesn’t identify as a lady. And then it all kicked off and she was accused of being transphobic’ 

Without warning, the employee comes forward and lunges for the phone, demanding the man hand it over while appearing to assault him.

In a post, Mr Andrews reveals that he filmed the altercation and that it was witnessed by seven other people.

He writes: ‘The situation happened so quick and what happened off camera was horrific! The world we live in eh!’

He adds: ‘I must be getting old as I feel the world we live in now is a snow flake infested one-have an option, be what you want to be BUT don’t ram it down my throat-live & let live! And buy coffee with cash!! I hope that Starbucks deal with this individual and the police deal with it?’

The footage prompted heavy criticism on social media, with many users copying in Starbucks’ Twitter handle and demanding answers.

Australian women’s activist Sall Grover shared the clip on Twitter and wrote: ‘When women see men who think they’re women in female spaces, they often get themselves out as quickly as possible.

The relative added: ‘The whole incident has left Vanessa very upset and distraught and she’s currently on holiday recovering’ 

Activist Oli London also shared the video and tweeted: ‘Is this an acceptable way for staff to behave Starbucks UK?’

Debra Gordon posted: ‘This person should be fired! They are there to serve customers – not abuse them.’

Annabelle Bond wrote: ‘Stop enabling this behaviour. No employee should treat a customer like that.’

Transsexual performer Buck Angel added: ‘Haha they are crumbling fast! Wingnuts are exposing themselves.’

Others branded the employee’s behaviour ‘entitlement’ and ‘unacceptable’.

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