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People visit the beach of Sandy Hook, New Jersey, front of the skyline of lower Manhattan.
The woman reported that he berated her and a friend with anti-trans rhetoric in a dispute over a dog.
New Jersey authorities are investigating a case of reported anti-trans harassment at Gunnison Beach, a clothing-optional stretch of shoreline in Sandy Hook, after a 28-year-old transgender woman said a man targeted her with slurs and intimidation.
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The woman, who asked The Advocate not to name, told NJ.com that what began as a dispute over her friend’s leashed dog escalated into harassment. She said the man attempted to knock down her hand, whipped his towel at her, and threw sand multiple times while calling her a “freak” and using an anti-trans slur. At one point, she recalled, he told her to “take [her] meds.”
Though Gunnison is known as the state’s only nude beach, the woman emphasized that everyone involved was clothed during the encounter. She recorded part of the incident and later filed a complaint with Gateway National Recreation Area police, who confirmed a report had been submitted and said the investigation is ongoing, NJ.com reports. The man’s identity has not been released.
According to the National Park Service, pets at Sandy Hook must remain on leashes. Seasonal rules also prohibit dogs on ocean-side beaches between March 15 and September 15 to protect nesting shorebirds. Outside that window, beginning September 16, dogs are permitted on ocean-facing beaches. Riley said her friend’s dog was leashed and it was within the allowed season in the area that includes views of New York City's Manhattan skyline in the distance.
According to GLAAD’s most recent ALERT Desk Report, between May 2024 and May 2025, there were 932 documented anti-LGBTQ+ incidents nationwide — an average of more than two every day. More than half of those targeted were transgender and nonbinary people. In that same period, at least 84 people were injured and 10 were killed in attacks motivated by anti-LGBTQ+, according to the report.
The Advocate has contacted the National Park Service for comment.
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