A St. Catharines barbershop’s refusal to cut the hair of a man this weekend has caused an online backlash, because he’s transgender. But the owner of The Head Shop Barbershop says he isn’t transphobic and his decision not to cut the man’s hair had nothing to do with him being transgender.

Jordan Johnston,29, who is in the process of transitioning from a woman to a man, didn’t feel comfortable identifying himself as transgender when he walked into the barbershop on Sunday.

“That’s when the owner piped up and he said we don’t do woman’s hair and I was a little bit shocked.”

After leaving the shop Johnston came back again to confront the owner claiming it was only then he disclosed he was transgender. Later posting about the experience on Facebook.

Cedric Small, the owner of The Head Shop Barbershop, says he refused Johnston service not because he’s transgender, but because of an agreement with the salon next door.

“I took her as a female and because of our lease I had to say it was a conflict of interest, there is a salon in the plaza and I gave my word we wouldn’t perform female services.”

Small says he would never refuse someone service who identified as transgender and says over the years he’s had a number of transgender clients. He says he’s sorry if his words caused Johnston any pain adding that if Johnston wants to come back in for a buzz, he’d be happy to have him.