Kevin Seaman, an interdisciplinary artist, cultural worker, and drag queen whose drag persona is LOL McFiercen, and The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, a leading-edge Order of queer and trans nuns devoted to community service and promoting human rights, have reached a collaborative agreement with Lyft to ensure individuals in the queer and drag communities are not discriminated against by drivers using Lyft’s platform.

According to the Agreement: “On February 28, 2018, Claimants’ counsel sent a letter to Lyft, asserting that persons who were gender-nonconforming, or appearing in drag, were not being provided with equal access to rides they requested using the Lyft Platform, and specifically were being denied rides by Drivers.” On June 22, 2018, the Parties entered into structured negotiations to work cooperatively on Lyft’s policies, practices, and procedures concerning full and equal accommodations, advantages, facilities, privileges, or services relating to Lyft’s Platform, and the transportation available through the Lyft Platform, without regard to sex, sexual orientation, gender expression, and/or gender identity.

Under the Agreement, Lyft reaffirms its commitment to creating a safe environment for drivers and riders and agrees to develop new content to educate drivers about issues affecting the LGBTQ community, including in the context of gender identity and gender expression. Lyft has also agreed to maintain a readily available method for riders to report discrimination via the Lyft App, to re-train employees who handle complaints on LGBTQ issues, and to develop an appropriate process to ensure that complaints are handled in a sensitive and appropriate manner. Lyft will work with Kevin and The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence to implement the Agreement.

Kevin Seaman and The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence are represented by NCLR and Rosen Bien Galvan & Grunfeld LLP.