In a recent verdict that underscores the ongoing tensions surrounding gender identity and public spaces, an Oregon jury found a Portland bartender guilty of a hate crime against a transgender woman. The incident, which occurred at a local bar in December 2022, involved Cassie McIntyre, who was off-duty at the time, confronting and pushing Riis Larsen concerning her use of the women's restroom.
According to Fox News, McIntyre was convicted of second-degree bias crime and harassment charges following a two-day trial. The confrontation, caught on the bar's surveillance cameras, shows McIntyre shoving Larsen after she had exited the single-user women's restroom. This encounter led to McIntyre facing legal repercussions for her actions which, while not audible in the footage, were corroborated by witness testimonies in court.
Riis Larsen, in a statement reported by The Oregonian, explained that she tried to communicate her gender identity to McIntyre, but instead was met with an expletive and a demand to leave the bar. McIntyre, for her part, claimed a lack of understanding regarding transgender issues, stating during her court testimony, "I wasn’t trying to misgender her — I had to look up what transgender was in the dictionary," as reported by The Oregonian. "We were just arguing over spilt milk."
The Post Millennial described the mandatory punishment handed to McIntyre, who received a sentence of two years on probation and 50 hours of community service. Highlighting a deeper issue, a patron testified hearing McIntyre persistently using male pronouns when referring to Larsen after the incident, further indicating the gravity of the accusations against the bartender.
Differences in press coverage also illustrate the sensitive and polarized nature of the discussion. While the altercation centered on a dispute over access to a restroom, the broader issue pertains significantly to the rights and dignity of transgender individuals. District Attorneys in Portland have been notably active in prosecuting hate crimes, with The Oregonian/OregonLive pointing out that the city's DA's office files more such charges per capita than any other in the state. This case adds to an evolving legal and societal landscape, where notions of identity and inclusion remain fiercely contested, and the consequences of prejudice are increasingly subject to the scrutiny of the law.
