Historic Transgender Civil Rights Lawsuit Underway In Florida
http://www.myfoxphilly.com/story/26644448/historic-transgender
LAKELAND (FOX 13) -A Lakeland woman is filing an historic lawsuit, saying she was wrongly fired after her employer found out she was transitioning from male to female.
It's the first time the federal government is suing on behalf of a transgender person who says their civil rights were violated in the workplace.
Brandi Branson is one of the plaintiffs. She used to fit people for hearing aids, and she loved it.
"It was really a heartfelt thing, to be able to assist people to have a higher quality of life," Branson said of her job.
In July of 2010, her name was "Michael." Michael was hired by Dr. Kevin Dorsett's Lakeland Eye Clinic to be his first director of hearing services.
The next February, she took the name "Brandi" and started showing up for work in women's clothing and makeup.
"I would get the snickers and rolled eyes," she said.
She says her boss confronted her and patient referrals stopped coming.
Within two months, she says she was told her position was being eliminated.
"The emotional impact was deep, because I was a veteran at doing what I did, worked at this for over 30 years, and suddenly I was found to be useless," Branson said.
Weeks later, she says they hired someone new for the same job.
Attorney Jillian Weiss agreed to go after Lakeland Eye Clinic.
"Transgendered people have been hidden from public consciousness because of prejudice," Weiss said.
Weiss says the federal government's Equal Employment Opportunity Commission agreed to make Brandi's one of two cases filed this month on behalf of transgendered people who were fired.
"They have been seen as strangers to the law, often being without the legal protection the rest of us take for granted," Weiss said.
The 1964 Civil Rights Act bars gender discrimination. Weiss says that includes transgendered people.
Branson says she is being so public about something so personal, to stop this from happening to someone else.
"I have had to deal with things I never dreamed of," said Branson. "Whether or not somebody determines I am a hero or not is up to them. I am doing what I think is the right thing to do."
She is suing for unspecified damages, but hopes it includes any back and future pay.
Lakeland Eye Clinic declined an opportunity to comment.
Her attorney, Dr Jillian Weiss is an amazing woman. (She also teaches at a nearby college.) I attended her session at the Philly Trans Health Conference last June. I also talked with her briefly afterwords and is an amazing to talk to. If anyone can win the case, she can. What amazes me is that she's able to use existing sex discrimination laws to include transgender discrimination and she has won cases like this in the past using existing federal laws. Her last win she told us about was a case in Georgia. Another area where there was no laws to specifically provide transgender rights.
Sounds like an amazing Lawyer! I'd like to meet her. :)
Only read what was posted here, look, she's great for doing that but, this isn't the first time the EEOC has gone after companies on the grounds of using sex discrimination for us trans folk when there was no gender expression listed. No, this was first done back in 2012 when a case was won, last I heard that same case went to the supreme court, no idea on the final out come. I do know that the EEOC DOES help us trans folk from what I've heard and what little I've experienced myself.