First Arrest Made Under Florida’s Criminalized Transgender Bathroom Law

Marcy Rheintgen, a transgender college student, faces legal consequences after protesting Florida's bathroom policy by using a women’s restroom at the state Capitol.

Marcy Rheintgen, 20, was arrested on March 19, 2025, for misdemeanor trespassing after using a women’s restroom in the Florida Capitol in defiance of the state’s bathroom law.
Rheintgen had notified 160 state lawmakers of her plans to protest the law, which mandates bathroom use based on biological sex, calling it discriminatory and unjust.
This marks the first known enforcement of Florida’s criminal statute on bathroom use, with Rheintgen facing up to 60 days in jail and a $500 fine if convicted.
Florida and Utah are the only states that criminalize violations of transgender bathroom laws, while 14 other states impose only civil penalties.
Rheintgen expressed fears about potential jail conditions, including being housed with men and losing access to hormone treatments, highlighting broader concerns for transgender individuals under such laws.