Transgender Woman Wins Sex Bias Suit Over Rescinded Job Offer
A federal judge has ruled that a transgender woman whose job offer was revoked was the victim of illegal discrimination.
U.S. District Judge James Robertson ruled Friday that the Library of Congress violated the Civil Rights Act’s ban on sex discrimination, the Washington Post reports. He cited “direct evidence, and compelling evidence, that the Library’s hiring decision was infected by sex stereotypes” that violated the law.
The American Civil Liberties Union had filed the lawsuit on behalf of terrorism researcher Diane Schroer. She had learned the Library of Congress was revoking her job offer after she disclosed during a lunch meeting that she was transitioning from a man to a woman.
Justice Department lawyers had argued Title VII of the Civil Rights Act does not protect transsexuals or bar discrimination based on gender identity.
“It is especially gratifying that the court has ruled that discriminating against someone for transitioning is illegal,” Schroer said in a statement. The ACLU has a video about Schroer on its website.
