Woman Fired for Being Transgender Hopes to Stop Further Discrimination
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A woman who says she was fired for being transgender is going public with her story in hopes that she can shed light on challenges those in the transgender community face.
Attorneys with The Southern Poverty Law Center say many Alabama employers are violating federal laws with their employment practices when it comes to transgender people and may not even realize it.
Fired on her first day.
That’s what happened to 28-year-old Jessi Dye of Cullman County. She was working at a nursing home and was about five hours into the job when her manager called her into his office.
“He said, well what are you? A male, female? You look one way and are another.”
Although Dye came out as transgender seven years ago, her identification paperwork and drivers license still say she’s a male. Because of that, she says her manager told her to get her stuff and get out.
“I had to call my wife and tell her I can’t support my family right now…I have to find another job.”
It’s something that’s happening across the country, according to Southern Poverty Law Center Attorney Sam Wolfe. He took up Dye’s case and the two made a claim to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
“I think that some employers still haven’t really gotten the memo and that’s what we’re hoping to do with this lawsuit is to raise awareness that there are protections,” Wolfe said.
Transgender individuals are covered under title seven of the Civil Rights Act but Wolfe says stronger legal protection is needed because the current protection isn’t specific enough. He says this whole lawsuit could have been avoided, had Dye’s employer been more sensitive.
“There are conversations to be had, how is it that we as an employer can support you as a transgender person? And how is it that we can help other employees maybe deal with some bias or something like that?”
Dye says she’s happy she won her claim but says it was never really about money.
“I never really wanted a financial, it was never about money. It was always about the education, letting other trans people know that they have a right, that they are protected under the law.”
