Trans woman arrested for using women's restroom in what could be a first under a Florida law

A transgender woman was arrested after she tried to use a woman’s restroom at the Florida State Capitol building last month, the Tampa Bay Times reports. The incident could prove to be the first arrest under the state’s laws that ban transgender folks from using the restroom and other facilities that align with their gender identity.

Marcy Rheintgen, 20, a resident of Illinois, was taken into custody by Capital police and charged with trespassing after she tried to use a women’s restroom at the State Capitol building. Hoping to use the act as a symbolic protest, the transgender college student notified police and politicians in advance about the act, sent a picture of her photo identification, and identified the specific restroom she intended to use.

“I know that you know in your heart that this law is wrong and unjust,” Rheintgen said in the letter. “I know that you know in your heart that transgender people are human too, and you can’t arrest us away.”

Police met her at the Capitol on March 19 and tried to dissuade her from her plans. Rheintgen instead attempted to use the restroom and was taken into custody by the officers.

The officers initially told Rheintgen they would only issue a notice to appear before the judge and release her. They subsequently declared her unsuitable for release and arrested her after she became “sassy,” and they feared she would try to use the restroom again, according to the arrest affidavit.

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Rheintgen spent the night in custody and was released the following day. She said she didn’t think she was going to get arrested and now regrets the experience, the Times reports.

“Everything that is politics seems very abstract and philosophical from far away,” Rheintgen said. “This is the first time it’s really affected me. I got arrested, and I got sent to jail because of Gov. DeSantis’s policies – like that’s crazy, that’s crazy!”

Florida has passed a series of anti-LGBTQ+ “don’t say gay” laws, including one banning transgender folks from using restroom, changing, and sleeping facilities that align with their gender identity in government and other public institutions.