Woman with alopecia verbally insults her gender identity

A marathon runner with alopecia was left “embarrassed and heartbroken” after being verbally abused in an airport toilet by a woman she thought was transgender.

Lindsay Walter from Charlotte, North Carolina, is preparing for next year’s London Marathon to support Make-A-Wish UK, which grants wishes to children and young people battling life-threatening illnesses.

Last May, Walter told Yahoo Life that she had been struggling with the hair loss disease alopecia universalis since she was two years old. She opened up after someone said she looked “like a sick, ugly man” in a comment on her marathon photo.

Alopecia universalis is a condition that can result in the loss of all hair on the scalp and body. According to Medical News Today, the condition affects around one in 4,000 people in the UK, while it affects fewer than 200,000 people in the US.

“Sad, angry, embarrassed and heartbroken”

Walter shared on X/Twitter on Friday (October 11) that the woman screamed “You’re disgusting” while the runner was washing her hands. Walter left but was followed where she was surrounded by more people.

“The woman started screaming, ‘I’m disgusting for being in the women’s restroom and what that’s like for women,'” Walter said. “I calm down [said]: “I have alopecia. I’m a woman, but I just don’t have any hair.” She [backed] away and [said]’Whatever, just go away’.”

Walter was in tears, “sad, angry, embarrassed, heartbroken,” adding: “I always try to see the good in people and show them mercy, but I’m really finding it difficult at the moment.”

Comments under the post, which has been viewed more than 10 million times, expressed their support. “I send you love and light. I’m so sorry you had to deal with this,” LGBWithTheT wrote.

Other people shared their experience with women who had cancer saying they were subjected to “vile looks” and harsh comments just because they lost their hair.

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