14 DAY TRIAL // 25-year-old Ally Robledo, a transgender formerly known as Alberto Robledo, is citing discrimination against LGBTs at a grocery store in Lewiston, Idaho.
Robledo tells KLEW-TV that she has been banned from the Rosauers store due to using the women's bathroom.
The Salt Lake Tribune details that Robledo has incurred a one-year ban starting April 8. She was slapped with a "no trespassing" order as she was leaving the store.
Store owners explained that they had received several complaints from customers on the matter, and were forced to take a stand.
"A male subject who was using the female restroom, and that made some women customers uncomfortable because of the appearance that a male was using their restroom," Lewiston Police Captain Roger Lanier clarifies.
"The store employees didn't want any further problems, and they chose to exercise their right to trespass this individual from the business. [...] Anyone who owns or controls their property can make that decision," he notes.
Robledo describes fighting rejection and bullying throughout her whole life, especially when made to use the men's facilities.
"When I did use the male's (restroom) there would be people that would harass me in school. [...] I would feel really embarrassed and there were times when I found myself in a lot of dangerous situations," she recalls.
"I really doubt that would be more socially acceptable than someone using the men's restroom," she adds.
Robledo has argued her point of view to store attendants, only to have authorities called in to settle the issue.
"I think calling the police is not really sufficient and I think it's a waste of our tax payers' dollars," she says.
As of yet, the state of Idaho has not imposed clear regulations on how to deal with discrimination in cases in which a member of the LGBT community is denied "public accommodation."