According to Ruiz, he and his girlfriend used the women’s bathroom while camping on July 3 at Cross’s Campground. Ruiz explains to the outlet another woman in the bathroom started shouting and cursing, asking who was in there and saying “no man” should be in that bathroom.
Ruiz says he explained to the woman that he is transgender but had been told to use the women’s bathroom. After exiting the bathroom, however, Ruiz says three large men violently attacked him. Ruiz says they “grabbed” him off the ground, “choked” him, and threatened to kill him. Ruiz says he suffered wounds including bruises and cuts from the assault.
In the end, Ruiz was arrested by Preble County sheriff’s deputies when they arrived in the area. He was arrested on counts of obstructing official business and disorderly conduct. The sheriff was reportedly not aware of the assault Ruiz suffered at the time of his arrest but found him to be belligerent and intoxicated.
At this point, Ruiz says he wants accountability. He filed an assault report with the sheriff’s office but no charges have yet been filed. The office is looking for the alleged assailants.
This situation is obviously horrifying in itself but the big picture is even more concerning. This scenario could easily replicate, thanks to conservatives pushing ‘Don’t Say Gay’ legislation which urges educators to essentially monitor the gender performance and presentation of youth and report them to their parents.
And of course, when it comes to the anti-trans sports bills, the same can happen, especially with fellow kids and their parents being able to “question” anyone’s gender identity if they suspect they’re trans. It’s an absolute nightmare in all directions.
The GOP wants, of course, to force people into the closet and require everyone to present in the cisnormative and heteronormative standards conservatives prefer. But the anti-queer rhetoric they’re using in hopes of getting votes could get people seriously hurt—or even killed.
