Transgender woman settles suit with Cicero, attorneys sayBy Clifford Ward
Special to the Tribune
7:46 p.m. CDT, August 7, 2012
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-transgender-woman-settles-suit-with-cicero-attorneys-say-20120807,0,6321213.storyA transgender woman who said Cicero police officers harassed and humiliated her has settled a lawsuit for $10,000 along with a pledge that the town will adopt a policy for dealing respectfully with transgender people, her attorneys said Tuesday.
In the suit, Feliciano said two police officers illegally stopped and searched her and a transgender friend in 2011 as they walked down a Cicero street. The officers allegedly taunted Feliciano and her friend, wrongfully accusing them of being sex workers.
Police threatened to arrest Feliciano for fraud, she said, after she presented an Illinois identification card that listed her as female. The officers also made crude remarks to her after transporting her to the station, according to her suit.
The suit alleged that the town's lack of a policy for dealing with transgender people led to the officers' poor conduct. The new policy, Feliciano's attorneys said, should help remedy the situation.
Cicero reaches historic settlement with Latina transgender woman Tue. August 7, 2012 5:41:42 PM
(From news release, People's Law Office)
http://chicago.gopride.com/news/article.cfm/articleid/32035104/cicero-reaches-historic-settlement-with-latina-transgender-womanCicero, IL — The Town of Cicero settled a civil rights lawsuit brought by Bianca Feliciano, a young Latina transgender woman, who alleged she was illegally stopped, searched and harassed by Cicero Police Officers. In settling Ms. Feliciano's litigation, Cicero agreed to enact a new policy regarding the treatment of transgender people by Cicero Police Officers, becoming one of the first metropolitan police departments in the country to do so. Cicero also agreed to pay Feliciano $10,000.
In response to the settlement, Ms. Feliciano said "I'm glad to settle this case and I hope this policy will mean that what happened to me doesn't have to happen to anyone again. LGBTQ youth and others should never have to go through the abuse I suffered from the Cicero Police Department."
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After presenting the officers with her State of Illinois identification card that properly indicated her name and gender as female, Feliciano was threatened with violence. Cicero Police officers claimed that if Feliciano was properly disciplined and punished she would not be the way she is right now. The officers also insulted her by denying her gender-identity, stating 'You are not female, you have a dick between your legs,' and threatened her with jail claiming she was committing an act of fraud because her ID said she was female. She was subsequently arrested for violating two Cicero Town ordinances, neither of which related to any crimes of sex work. These charges were subsequently dismissed.
Feliciano's complaint alleged she was subjected to further offensive and abusive conduct at the Cicero Police Station.
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Ms. Feliciano was only 17 when the incident occurred. She is an impressive young woman! -MadelineB
