(Reuters) - A transgender woman whose use of a women's restroom in an Idaho grocery store reportedly upset other customers has been cited for trespassing and banned from the store for a year, police said on Friday.

A Rosauers supermarket in Lewiston asked police to charge 25-year-old Ally Robledo, who was born male but identifies as female, with the misdemeanor trespass charge on Monday, Lewiston Police Captain Roger Lanier said.

"The store security officer said he had been dealing with a problem over a couple days with the person going into the women's restroom and urinating while standing up," Lanier said.

He added that the store had reported that Robledo's use of the restroom made other female customers "very uncomfortable."

Robledo said she was being discriminated against.

"I'm a female trapped in a man's body. It's natural for me to go to the ladies' room. Getting the no trespassing order for a public restroom was really painful," she said.

The incident follows several cases that have stoked public debate about the boundaries of gender identity and the rights of transgender people to use accommodations such as restrooms in government buildings and businesses open to the public.

In February the parents of a 6-year-old transgender girl in Colorado filed a complaint with the state's civil rights agency challenging a decision by education officials to deny their child access to the girls' restrooms in her school. The case is being closely watched by civil libertarians.

Then last month in Arizona, a judge declined to grant a divorce to a transgender man, ruling he could not prove he was a male when he wed his wife in Hawaii. Same-sex marriages are not recognized in Arizona. The man has said he would appeal.

Colorado and a dozen other states have laws explicitly barring discrimination against transgender people in employment, housing and public accommodations, but Idaho does not, according to the American Civil Liberties Union.

Robledo said she was being unfairly treated by the store and by authorities in a rural area where questions about gender identity and the rights of transgender people rarely arise.

"I'm struggling here in this rural community as a transgender. Now I feel even more vulnerable," she said.

Ilona Turner, legal director of Transgender Law Center in San Francisco, said it was discriminatory to prevent transgender people from using the same facilities as everyone else.

"Transgender people have the same needs and deserve the same access to public stores and facilities as others without discrimination based on who they are. They just need to go to the bathroom like everyone else," she told Reuters by email.

An executive with Rosauers, a regional supermarket chain based in Spokane, Washington, did not respond to a request for comment.

Under Idaho law, anyone who owns or controls a property can deny access to it. Lanier said police responded to a trespassing matter involving Robledo and were not in a position to address the transgender issue.

"Society has yet to define exactly what makes a transgender. Far be it from a police department in Idaho to try to define that," he said.

(Editing by Cynthia Johnston and Xavier Briand)

there is a way to settle this... if there is something dangling between the legs, and they are peeing out of it, they ain't a woman...

seems logical to me,,, biology rules in the bathroom

but to accomodate this growing 'political' group, perhaps they can start building coop bathrooms for those who dont mind sharing that space with other genders

otherwise, what about my right to see a penis as a mans biology and not feel comfortable with it next to me in the bathroom?

there is just no easy way to accomodate peoples 'emotional genders',,,,

thats a nice idea, but all that does is raise prices on everything at the stores that do it, someone has to pay for the additional restroom, and it always falls on the consumers... but this guy never had an operation, and is a man, no matter how confused he is about what thinks he is... men do not belong in the ladies bathrooms, he can use the mens just as easy... just someone making a stink over nothing...

I think "She" could have just as easily had some class and used a private stall at the very least...
WOW
I agree that they were just trying to get some unwarranted attention
I don't judge people based on their sexual preferences but show some
respect for others as well
Happy Earth Day !

And he probably didn't even raise the seat...

that's why the women complained... they didn't like the wet toilet seat.

"Transgender" or not, I do not understand the problem as for the last ten years or so, in many cities and towns throughout Europe there have been 'co-op' bathroom facilities for use by both male and female. As public washrooms go, there are always attendants there who maintain not only 'civilized behavior',ie. security, but also hot towels, shampoo and will give patrons a lint brush down and a shoe shine should they need one. A small gratuity is, of course expected as has been the custom. Some are small, admitting only 4 or 5 people while others can accommodate several. The large cities such as Berlin, Paris and Rome have been expanded as many people complained about having to line-up outside.... Perhaps it's time to play catch-up again to what works fine in Europe and other parts of the world, or are people here just too 'delicate' to 'suffer the indignity' or could it be they lack the behavioral restraints, such as self control that would cause problems for everyone...?

well, male and female have worked fine UNTIL NOW,, necessity is the mother of creation,,,,eventually we will certainly add a third option for the undecided,,,,

Unisex bathroom is needed in all places.

It is interesting to use one. Having men in there at the same time as you in their own stall is definitely different. Not really offensive or scary though just new.

i don't have a big problem with unisex bathrooms, i just don't wanna pay for it...

If'n da' mo-fo gots a penis, he be needin' ta' use a urinal, no?

Fk all dat unisexual chit, I says.

Even when the men fart??

Or, look under the stall wall to git a peek at some panocha?

Scary is, looking under the wall and some fat broad is squatting, would be my guess.