A transgender woman was arrested by Florida Capitol Police after washing her hands in a women’s restroom.
Marcy Rheintgen, of Illinois, was arrested for trespassing two weeks ago, according to an affidavit obtained by the Miami Herald.
The 20-year-old had previously sent letters to lawmakers, along with photos of herself, warning that she would use a specific women’s restroom in the Capitol.
Rheintgen said she would do so in protest of a 2023 state law that prohibits people from using bathrooms in public buildings, including schools and correctional facilities, that do not match their gender at birth.
“I know that you know in your heart that this law is wrong and unjust,” Rheintgen stated in her letter, according to the Herald. “I know that you know in your heart that transgender people are human too, and you can’t arrest us away.”
“I know you understand that I have dignity,” Rheintgen added. “That’s why I know that you won’t arrest me.”
Rheintgen arrived at the bathroom on March 19, as planned, and was greeted by two Capitol police officers. The officers claimed they tried to work with her, but Rheintgen entered the bathroom anyway, according to the affidavit reviewed by the Herald.
Police initially told Rheintgen that they would issue her a notice to appear in front of a judge to avoid jail time, but they ultimately arrested her because she did not meet the criteria for a notice to appear.
Police described Rheintgen as “sassy” and claimed she implied she might use the restroom again, according to the Herald. The trespass charge is a second-degree misdemeanor punishable by up to 60 days in jail.
Rheintgen was released from jail after 24 hours.
According to the Herald, she regrets her experience and did not expect to be arrested. She is now back in school and must find a way to return to Florida for further hearings.
“Everything that is political appears very abstract and philosophical from afar,” Rheintgen told the outlet. “This is the first time it has truly affected me. I was arrested and jailed as a result of Gov. [Ron] DeSantis’ policies — that’s insane!”
According to the Herald, this could be the first arrest under the 2023 bathroom bill.
Nadine Smith, executive director of Equality Florida Action Inc., a pro-LGBTQ+ rights organization, condemned Rheintgen’s arrest in a statement Tuesday.
“The arrest of Marcy Rheintgen isn’t about safety. “It’s about cruelty, humiliation, and the deliberate destruction of human dignity,” Smith explained. “Transgender people have been using restrooms that match their gender for generations without incident.
What has changed isn’t their presence, but a slew of laws aimed at intimidating them out of public life.
“The true goal is to intimidate. If you cannot use a restroom safely or legally, your time in any public space is limited.
That’s the point,” Smith explained. “These laws don’t protect anyone; they push transgender people out of everyday life, shrinking their freedom and making them vulnerable to harassment and arrest.”
