FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 18, 2018
Contact: Lauren Gray, NCLR
lgray@nclrights.org / 215.983.3099
Victory for Trans Youth: Florida School District Settles Lawsuit, Will Allow Transgender Student to Use Restrooms and Locker Rooms in Accordance with Gender Identity
SAN FRANCISCO—The federal district court for the Middle District of Florida has approved a settlement agreement in a lawsuit the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) brought on behalf of John Doe against the Volusia County School Board (VCSB) for excluding John from the shared boys’ restrooms and locker rooms because he is transgender. The suit alleged that the school’s policies violated federal sex discrimination laws and the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution. The settlement ensures that John can use the boys’ bathrooms and locker rooms at schools in Volusia County.
“This settlement is a victory for transgender youth and will promote their health, safety, and well-being,” said National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) Transgender Youth Project Staff Attorney Asaf Orr. “We are pleased to see VCSB take these steps to do the right thing and allow our client to use the restroom and locker room consistent with his gender identity.”
“Thanks to this settlement, John can focus on his education rather than the daily stigma and discrimination of being separated from his peers,” said Lauren Valiente, co-counsel at Foley & Lardner LLP.
NCLR plaintiff John Doe said, “I am relieved to see my school district do the right thing and make this change. Now, I finally feel like I have the support I need to finish my last years in high school without worrying about being singled out.”
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The National Center for Lesbian Rights is a national legal organization committed to advancing the human and civil rights of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community through litigation, public policy advocacy, and public education. www.NCLRights.org
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