Two police officers reportedly entered a women’s bathroom in Tucson, Arizona yesterday to arrest a man trespassing within. The problem? Their target was a woman with every right to be there. While some may dismiss the incident as a simple case of mistaken identity, the problem is graver than that. Transphobia and anti-LGBTQ discrimination were common even before Trump took office. Recent Executive Orders targeting trans people have only emboldened the bigots. Despite the fearmongering around bathroom usage, it’s always been cis men rather than trans women that posed the threat. Here’s what we know about the incident in Tucson.
Cops Barge Into Women’s Restroom in Tucson
A TikTok by @she_luvv.kayy shows what appears to be two Pima County sheriffs in a Tucson bathroom, talking to the women within. “They came in here in the girl’s restroom, because I’m a girl, and they didn’t think I was a girl, so they tried to come take me away,” the TikTok creator said. The specter of armed men entering a bathroom to harass people unfortunately isn’t new. Nor is targeting a self-described stud. Though many are speaking out against transphobes like Trump, transphobia remains common in the U.S.
“Transvestigators” and misgendering go hand-in-hand. That may be at least part of what brought those sheriffs into that Tucson bathroom. Nor would that kind of targeted harassment be a first for Arizona. Senate Bill 1399, signed by former Arizona governor Doug Ducey in 2021, legalized religious discrimination against trans people by third-party child welfare agencies. That was only one such attack on the state’s LGBTQ community.
Those in @she_luvv.kayy’s comment section were quick to condemn the cops. “Sound like 2 perverts trying to peak,” said one commenter. Another asked a crucial question that doesn’t appear to have an answer yet,
I’d wanna know exactly WHO called and complained cuz 😳😳😳 we’d have some kind of discussion
The myth of trans people targeting cis people in bathrooms is just that: a myth. It was debunked years ago, but that hasn’t stopped transphobes from weaponizing their lie against those they wish to oppress. The incident in Arizona appears to be another example of how transphobic policies make everyone less safe, including cis people. As for that Tucson bathroom, it appears the only dangerous men present were the cops.
