Right-wing extremists confront transgender people in Florida bathrooms

In Florida, the enactment of a controversial anti-trans bathroom law has not only restricted access to public facilities but has also spurred a wave of vigilante actions, extending even into private establishments. The Safety in Private Spaces Act, or House Bill 1521, prohibits transgender people from using state-owned bathrooms that align with their gender identity. The measure has emboldened some citizens to monitor and confront those they suspect violating this law in various locations, including restaurants, gyms, and cinemas, where the law doesn’t apply, The Daily Beastreports.

Rajee Narinesingh, a trans woman, experienced this firsthand when challenged at a restaurant.

Related: Florida Lawmakers OK Anti-Trans Bathroom Bill, ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Expansion

“You don’t belong in this bathroom,” a fellow diner told her, Narinesingh recounted to the Beast. “You need to get out!” The incident echoed past traumas for Narinesingh, who transitioned during the less accepting 1980s. After enduring brutal attacks and discrimination over decades, the recent law revives old fears. “When you have traumatic things happen to you and the chance that it can happen again, that fear is real, and it’s palpable,” she said.

Despite the law’s specific application to state facilities, confusion over its reach has led to increased harassment of transgender people in private settings, said Gina Duncan of Equality Florida.

Legal experts and activists argue that HB 1521, signed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis last May, not only imposes the strictest bathroom restrictions in the U.S. but fails to communicate its limits clearly, further endangering an already vulnerable population. The law also uniquely includes criminal penalties, with violations leading to potential misdemeanor charges.

The situation highlights a broader issue: the challenge of navigating public spaces safely for transgender Floridians. Trans people are adopting various strategies to stay safe, including going to restrooms in groups or avoiding poorly lit, secluded facilities. Organizations like Found Family Collective and Pink Pistols offer support and self-defense training to the LGBTQ+ community in response to these threats. However, many have withdrawn from public life to avoid confrontations.

Elliott King, for example, described a tense encounter in a men’s bathroom that left him shaken and contemplating leaving Florida for a safer environment. During a routine visit to get his oil changed, King encountered a stranger who aggressively questioned his gender identity. After affirming he was a man, King was met with continued scrutiny and a demeaning retort: “You don’t look like it.”

This encounter, though not physically violent, left King deeply shaken. He told the Beast that he hurriedly left the restroom, overwhelmed by anxiety, and reached out to his boyfriend to help calm his nerves. The incident exacerbated his ongoing fears of physical violence, which are not unfounded in the current hostile climate. At 5-foot-6 and not physically imposing, King feels particularly vulnerable, aware that he could be an easy target for those who might wish to harm him based on their prejudices.

“It only takes one person to beat the shit out of you,” he said.