Transgender man is 'humiliated' at Ohio swimming pool for not wearing 'proper' female attire

• Tierra Thomas, 26, went to Tuscora Park in New Philadelphia, Ohio
• Wore a sports bra and shorts on outing with his wife and 2-year-old son
• But Thomas says a lifeguard stopped him from getting into the water
• Lifeguard said he wasn't wearing proper female attire, Thomas says
• Was put on administrative leave while City launched investigation 

A transgender man says a lifeguard publicly humiliated him at an Ohio swimming pool for not wearing 'proper' female attire.

Tierra Thomas, 26, was at Tuscora Park in New Philadelphia wearing his usual outfit - a swimming sports bra and swimming shorts.

Thomas, who has been transitioning from female to male for the past six months according to ABC 5, had gone to this swimming pool since his childhood.

But that time, a lifeguard stopped him just before he got into the water and told him he couldn't use the pool due to his outfit.

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'She could have pulled me to the side and explained it to me. She didn't have to single me out in front of everybody. It's humiliating,' Thomas told ABC 5.

Thomas was there with his wife and his 2-year-old son. He eventually got permission to swim.

His sister, Heather, shared a post on Facebook recounting the experience last month.

She said other people, both men and women, were wearing clothes such as t-shirts and shorts while in the water.

The city put the lifeguard, a senior member of staff, on paid administrative leave while they began an investigation.

But New Philadelphia's law director Marvin Fete said the lifeguard was not discriminating against Thomas and instead was enforcing a rule that says clothes aren't allowed in the pool.

'I don't think the fact that this person was transgender played any role in this at all. I think it was purely: "You can't go swimming with a sports bra on." That's the policy,' Fete told the network.

He plans on recommending that lifeguards should not be able to make decisions based on what people wear at the pool.

Meanwhile Thomas wants to file a formal complaint against the City, ABC 7 reported. 

It is not clear whether the lifeguard will face further sanctions.