Transgender activist Marcy Rheintgen (Image: Tallahassee Sheriff)
Marcy Rheintgen, a 20-year-old transgender woman, was arrested at the Florida State Capitol building after attempting to use a women’s restroom in direct protest of a newly enacted state law that bans transgender individuals from using restrooms that align with their gender identity in government buildings and other public institutions. This incident marks the first arrest under the controversial law.
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Police officers met Rheintgen outside of the restroom she intended to use and attempted to dissuade her. When she proceeded to enter the restroom, she was taken into custody by the officers. The officers initially informed Rheintgen that she would only receive a notice to appear in court. However, after claiming she was being “sassy” and expressing concerns that she might attempt to use the restroom again, officers reversed their decision and placed her under arrest. Rheintgen spent one night in custody before being released.
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State Sen. Tina Polsky (R-Florida) disagreed, saying, “Clearly, the bill is designed to just hurt trans people and not to protect anyone because there’s nothing inherently dangerous about a trans person using a bathroom.”
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