Rain Dove, a gender-fluid model who goes by “they” pronouns, was attacked by a mother in a women’s restroom. (Photo: Justin Tallis/AFP/Getty Images)

Words: Hope Schreiber

Rain Dove, a gender-fluid model who prefers “they” pronouns, was allegedly Maced by a mother in a public restroom recently. Shockingly, the stranger then tracked down Dove on Instagram to gloat about the attack, stating she would “do it again.” Instead of reacting to the woman with hate, however, Dove attempted to educate her.

The 29-year-old partner of actress Rose McGowan shared the images of their direct messages on Instagram.

A screenshot of a direct message shared by Rain Dove. (Photo: Rain Dove via Instagram) More

“Hola! I am the mother that maced you in the ladies room last week and I would do it again,” she wrote. “I hope that pepper-spray burned the f*** out of you. I think it’s sick that you go into ladies rooms and you encourage others to do it on social media. Go to the 1 your ID says to! Keep you nastie d*** away from us!”

Instead of attacking the woman or, you know, reporting her for assault, Dove decided to show her kindness and to educate her about being gender fluid.

“This person pepper-sprayed me in a ‘women’s restroom’ a little bit ago,” Dove said. “I didn’t get to converse with this being because this person just sprayed me and ran past with their kids in terror, asking the security guard to come in and confront me.”

Dove sent the woman a photo of their passport, where under sex it is marked “F” for female.

Rain Dove’s passport displays a “F” under gender. (Photo: Rain Dove via Instagram) More

The woman replied to Dove, writing, “[But] you didn’t look like one.” When asked why, the woman responded, “Idk. I was gunna say short hair but. guess you coulda been a person with cancer or meth addiction or just a dy**. I guess cuz your tall but I guess female basketball players are tall too. Your face though is really manly. That what did it for me the face.”

At 6’2″, this is something Dove has experienced many times.

Dove messaged the woman back, writing: “What I wanted to say to you before you left so quickly was that while you hurt me I still admire your bravery. You were protecting yourself against what you believed to be a tall cis man coming in to the restroom. With many warnings growing up about getting hurt or even raped in the bathroom by deviant men it’s easy to be brainwashed into thinking that anyone that is what society seems to be a penis-bearer will have negative or sexual intentions when in an intimate place. You did what you thought was right in the moment and that takes courage.”

Rain Dove responds to attacker on Instagram. (Photo: Rain Dove via Instagram) More

The woman admits she doesn’t “get this trans stuff,” and asks Dove, “What if next time it definitely is a man in the ladies room? How do I balance being fair and not judging with protecting myself and my kids?”

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