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From the Associated Press:
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…
Does President Obama’s Justice Department continue this lawsuit to appeal? Does the Obama Administration, or the Library Of Congress, now offer Colonel Diane Schroer (Retired) a job?
What happens next in this lawsuit, as well as with executive orders on employment non-discrimination, will tell us a lot about President Obama’s commitment to employment equality, and his commitment to a fully inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA).
I’m watching. My lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender peers will be watching. Many of us want to see tangible commitment by the Obama administration to fully inclusive employment non-discrimination, and what that Obama Justice Department, as well as the rest of the Obama Administration, does regarding this particular case with Col. Diane Schroer (Ret.) will tell us a lot about President Obama’s commitment to LGBT civil rights.
8 Comments
WOW!Just- WOW!
I was at NCTE Lobby Days yesterday. We entered the Rayburn building (one of three HOR office buildings,) at about 8:15 am. One of our party reported overhearing one of the security screeners comment that President Bush had made Washington DC so much safer… I don’t know if that comment was because of changes made to screening procedures since the beginning of the Obama administration, or because a group of (formal business dressed) transgender people had just entered the building through that particular sally port…
I hope that Col Schroer is given the job she was originally hired for. I think she’ll be a wonderful asset for defending our country against future terrorist attacks. Though, I doubt she’ll inspire confidence in the screener who made the above comment…
Not so fast
I’m worried that if the administration refuses to appeal, then the Franks and Aravosisists of the world (or, more worrisomely, those people apt to believe the Franks and Aravosisists) will pronounce the non-appeal as being proof that we’re already covered and, therefore, don’t need to be in ENDA.
If the administration does appeal, well, then that speaks for itself – and adds insult to Diane Schroer’s injury.
Coffee with your conundrum, anyone?
Make mine a Hammerhead.Yeah Kat, it sucks.
We do need ENDA protections though, because we’ve had “bad” appeals court decisions in different jurisdictions. Federal law fixes the problem in a quicker, more certain way working appeals cases up to an uncertain end at the Supreme Court.
I don’t think so.Everyone knows that one court case in one district court does NOT protect everyone everywhere in the country, especially people in non-federal jobs. I understand your view of Franks, but I really don’t think he would undermine us in that fashion, despite past events. He’s a politician first and foremost and knows anti-trans actions will not be tolerated.
As for the Obama administration, yes this is going to be very telling.
Personally…..I’m depressed. I have a Masters’s Degree and I can’t find a job at $8/hr. Is the economy that bad or do they clock me and say “hell no”?
ENDA is a far more important issue than marriage equality, from my point of view.
For what it’s worth…I work for a fairly large company that always flourishes during major economic downturns (a dollar store chain). Under normal conditions, we have a high turnover and are constantly in hiring mode.
Right now, we are not hiring, not because the company needs to cut costs, but because none of the workers are leaving.
Yeah.What’s the value of getting married if one doesn’t have access to a job, a roof over one’s head, something to eat, and access to basic helath care?
Department of Justice won’t appealDepartment of Justice won’t appeal veteran’s victory In transgender discrimination case
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