Jazmina Saavedra, a Trump-supporting Republican running to represent California’s 44th Congressional district, harassed a trans woman in a Denny’s bathroom, and then decided to share video of it online.
According to the news site Bustle, last Tuesday, Saavedra decided to follow a trans woman into a Los Angeles bathroom. The political aspirant livestreamed the encounter, during which time she misgendered the woman, yelling at her.
The trans woman pleaded: “You’re invading my privacy.” Saavedra continued to yell at the woman, who was inside a bathroom stall.
Saavedra called the woman “sick and stupid,” and followed her through the restaurant, saying she was ready “with my pepper spray.” Saavedra posted the encounter on Facebook Live last Tuesday. During the encounter, she called the trans woman a “stupid guy.”
According to the New York Post, Saavedra’s post sparked immense outrage online: “’We’re going to run you out of power,’ a Twitter user wrote in Spanish yesterday. ‘You’re stupid and you have no respect for women. You bring shame to Latinas.'”
Saavedra is running against Diaz Barragan, who is the Democrat incumbent in the district. Barragan said she was “appalled” by Saavedra’s actions.
Saavedra thought to have little chance of capturing the nomination, and the act is thought to be a publicity stunt. As of this writing, Saavedra had 1,067 followers on Twitter.