Community | April 29, 2009 | 5 comments

Special Forces vet wins sex-change lawsuit

source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30480401/

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WASHINGTON - A federal judge has awarded a former Army Special Forces commander nearly $500,000 because she was rejected from a job at the Library of Congress while transitioning from a man to a woman.

Diane Schroer of Alexandria, Va., applied for the terrorism analyst job while she was still a man named David Schroer. He was offered the job, but the offer was pulled after he told a library official that he was having surgery to change his gender.

U.S. District Judge James Robinson ruled Tuesday that Schroer was entitled to $491,190 in back pay and damages because of sex discrimination.

The Library of Congress and the Justice Department argued unsuccessfully that discrimination because of transsexuality was not illegal sex discrimination under the Civil Rights Act.

The American Civil Liberties Union had argued the case on Schroer's behalf. Paul Cates with the ACLU's Lesbian and Gay Rights Project said the ruling was significant because a federal judge said that discriminating against someone for changing genders is sex discrimination under federal law.

Schroer is a former U.S. Army colonel who directed a classified group that tracked and targeted terrorists. Schroer retired in 2004 and worked briefly in the private sector before applying for the Congressional Research Service job at the Library of Congress.
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5 comments // Special Forces vet wins sex-change lawsuit

  • uroborus8
    • 0
      uroborus8  

    • Nuclear, you are right it is wrong. Unfortunately the federal government does not protect employees based on gender identity and sexual orientation yet, so Federal Jobs were considered exempt. ENDA (employment non discrimination act) will hopefully pass this year and protect all employees in the entire country.

    • 2 years ago
  • NuclearLullaby
    • 0
      NuclearLullaby  

    • As some one who is a huge supporter of transgender rights,I find it's very common for discrimination to take place! I have even had close friends die due to discrimination! When ever I hear stories like this, I am glad that the transexual involved in the case won,but I am also a bit outraged because it's written on most job applications (all I think) that possible employees can't be turned down because of race,gender,or sexual preferences! For people to be ignorant of others is a bad thing! Sure you might not agree with what they are doing,but to disrespect someone like that is totally wrong!

    • 2 years ago
  • uroborus8
  • gh8643
    • 0
      gh8643  

    • That was an open-shut case from the start. They as much as admitted to discrimiation. You think people that work for Library of Congress be a bit more understanding of the issues. Not sure the money will make it right but the ruling does.

    • 2 years ago
  • ClipsFC
    • 0
      ClipsFC  

    • After being offered the job, Schroer had lunch with a Library of Congress official and explained the upcoming surgery. Schroer testified the official called the next day and said the position would not be a "good fit."

    • 2 years ago
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