The next (legal) battle field may involve a smaller number of individuals,
but numbers cannot the issue when it comes to Civil Rights discrimination.
Today is an important day at the federal level for transgender children...
For Transgender Americans, Legal Battles Over Restrooms
NY Times - THE EDITORIAL BOARD - JULY 27, 2015
Quote:
On Monday, Judge Robert Doumar of Federal District Court in Virginia is scheduled to consider
whether the school board’s decision to prohibit Gavin from using the male restroom is unlawful discrimination.
The case addresses one of the main unresolved battles in the fight for transgender equality.
A favorable decision for the student would be the first time a federal court
has ruled that refusing transgender students access to proper restrooms is discriminatory.
Any other outcome would reinforce cruel policies that deny dignity to some
of the most vulnerable students and subject them to more bullying and stigmatization.
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Here is some text from the legal Complaint of a 6th grader, which I've edited for easier reading...
Quote:
Plaintiff is a transgender student who started the sixth grade at Wilson Middle School
in Wyandotte on or about December 4, 2012 ...
Plaintiff alleges that Wyandotte denied him the treatment and benefits afforded to
other male students and that he was subjected to severe and pervasive sex-based harassment
in violation of Title IX, Title IV, and the Equal Protection Clause.
In particular, Plaintiff alleges that although his mother asked the school
to allow him to use the boys’ restroom, school personnel refused,
requiring him instead to use “the staff ladies’ room” or a unisex restroom,
which was frequently closed and not accessible.
As a result, a male classmate who spotted Plaintiff leaving the women’s restroom
laughed at him, called him a “fag,” and asked, “Do you need a tampon sweetie?”
When Plaintiff’s mother complained to a school employee about this event,
the employee dismissed it as Plaintiff “being overly sensitive.”
Later, this same classmate approached Plaintiff off school grounds and threatened,
“You better run fag. Are you scared? I’ll rape you straight,” causing Plaintiff to run away
so fast he fell, fracturing his elbow and hitting his ear and face.
Plaintiff further alleges that school personnel addressed him as “Olivia,”
his name assigned at birth, and referred to him using female pronouns despite his
consistent presentation of his male gender identity and his mother’s requests
that he be addressed using his preferred name and male pronouns.
In addition, Plaintiff alleges that school personnel, including the school principal and
special education director, “outed” Plaintiff as transgender to students and parents
of students who interacted with Plaintiff by referring to him as a female.
Consequently, some of these parents refused to allow their children to interact with Plaintiff.
<snip>
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