A transgender college student took a bold stand against transgender bathroom laws by declaring her intent to break the law and subsequently entering a women’s restroom at the Florida State Capitol. The 20-year-old, Marcy Rheintgen, was then detained by police and escorted out in handcuffs. Civil rights attorneys note this incident as the first known arrest under new transgender bathroom restrictions legislated widely across the U.S.
The event unfolded on March 19 when Capitol police, informed in advance, were present in the Florida State Capitol in Tallahassee. They reportedly advised Rheintgen that she would be issued a trespass warning should she enter the women’s restroom to wash her hands and pray the rosary. When she refused to leave, she was subsequently arrested, as stated in a police affidavit.
Facing a misdemeanor trespassing charge, Rheintgen could receive a sentence of up to 60 days in jail, with her court appearance scheduled for May. “I am aiming to highlight the absurdity of these laws,” she expressed. “Being labeled a criminal just for washing my hands is insane,” she added.
Currently, 14 states have enacted laws preventing transgender women from accessing women’s restrooms within public schools and sometimes in other government buildings as well. Among these, Florida and Utah are the sole states imposing criminal penalties. In contrast, a Montana judge recently placed a temporary block on a similar law.
The arrest in Florida is the first of its kind known to attorneys from the American Civil Liberties Union, shared Jon Davidson, a senior staff attorney. While visiting family, Rheintgen decided to write to each of Florida’s 160 state legislators, notifying them of her intention to enter a restroom not aligned with her birth-assigned sex. Rheintgen, a resident of Illinois, cited her anger over the increasing hostility towards transgender people in a state she frequently visits and cherishes as her motivation.
In her messages to lawmakers, Rheintgen stressed: “This law is unjust, and you understand it’s wrong.” She added, “Transgender people have dignity and cannot simply be arrested away.” Her arrest shines light on the challenges faced by states with Republican-led administrations in executing these restroom restrictions. States like Alabama, Kansas, Kentucky, and North Dakota lack clear enforcement guidelines, rather relying chiefly on citizens to report transgressions.
Utah’s approach has faced backlash, with activists bombarding a state-established tip line—meant to monitor bathroom law violations—with fictitious reports. This action aimed to protect transgender residents and their allies from genuine complaints leading to potential investigations.
Efforts to contact Florida lawmakers, including law sponsors Rep. Rachel Plakon and Sen. Erin Grall, went unanswered. They argue the regulations are essential for safeguarding women and girls in gender-segregated areas. Meanwhile, critics like Nadine Smith from Equality Florida argue the law creates perilous environments, encouraging people to scrutinize others in restrooms.
According to Smith, “The arrest of Marcy Rheintgen is about cruelty, not safety.” She continued, “Transgender individuals have been using gender-aligned restrooms for years without issues. This is about laws meant to ostracize them from public domains.” Rheintgen fears that a conviction may lead to her being jailed with men, forced to cut her hair, and temporarily stop her hormone therapy.
Though some allege this case as a legal test, Rheintgen clarified, “My actions weren’t about testing the law; I was upset.” She admits uncertainty about the trial outcome, given the absence of legal precedent, expressing her genuine apprehension over the situation.