Jury sides with transgender employee in ‘historic’ Iowa case
A jury ruled Feb. 13 that the Iowa Department of Corrections discriminated against a transgender employee by denying him the use of a men’s restroom and locker rooms at the prison where he worked, The Washington Post reported.
Jurors ruled that state government violated the Iowa Civil Rights Act by offering medical benefits that did not cover gender-reassignment surgery, and awarded Jesse Vroegh $120,000 in damages.
The American Civil Liberties Union says Vroegh’s lawsuit was the first related to transgender rights since lawmakers amended the Iowa Civil Rights Act in 2007 to bar discrimination on the basis of gender identity. ACLU lawyer Melissa Hasso said the verdict marks “an historic day for transgender Iowans, their friends and families.”
Vroegh began working at the Iowa Correctional Institution for Women in Mitchellville as a nurse in 2009. In 2014, Vreogh informed his boss that he would be transitioning from female to male.
The warden denied his requests to begin using men’s facilities and instead designated two gender-neutral restrooms for Vreogh.
WV GOP chief rebukes delegate’s remarks on gay community
The head of the West Virginia Republican Party has denounced comments from a Republican member of the House of Delegates about the gay community, The Roanoke Times reported.
State GOP chairwoman Melody Potter said in a statement that Mercer County Delegate Eric Porterfield’s comments were “hateful, hurtful and do not reflect the values of our country, our state and the Republican Party.”
Porterfield said he believes LGBTQ groups are “socialists,” “discriminatory bigots” and “a modern day version of the Ku Klux Klan.” He also called the gay community a “terrorist group.”
Porterfield said he received threats after earlier remarks in a committee meeting supporting an amendment that would overrule local ordinances that protect lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people from discrimination. The amendment failed.
“Intolerant and hateful views hold us back, divide us, and hurt our state,” the GOP chairwoman said.
Kansas library to keep kids’ books with trans characters
A Kansas public library on Feb. 13 rejected a request to move three children’s books with LGBT characters out of the children’s section, The Wichita Eagle reported.
The Andover Public Library board of directors voted to keep children’s books “George,” “Lily and Dunkin” and “I am Jazz” in the juvenile section. All three books include characters who are transgender.
Andover resident Marci Laffen had asked the board to move the books to the adult section because of their content. In her written challenge to the books, Laffen argued the books were part of a “sexual revolution agenda, indoctrination of children.”
There was little discussion before the vote. About 55 people attended a January meeting to discuss the issue prior to the February vote.
Bill advances to ban so-called conversion therapy for minors
In a fifth attempt to ban psychotherapy that seeks to change minors’ sexual orientation or gender identity, Colorado lawmakers on Feb. 13 moved forward a bill to ban the practice.
The bill, sponsored by the House Public Health Care & Human Services Committee, passed in a 6-3 full House vote. Three GOP lawmakers cast the “no” votes.
Psychology’s governing bodies have denounced so-called conversion therapy, which treats being gay or transgender as a mental illness. Research shows it can increase the risk of suicide, drug abuse and depression among teens.
Dozens of therapy survivors and supporters testified for the bill, whose sponsors are Democratic Reps. Dafna Michaelson Jenet and Daneya Esgar and Sen. Stephen Fenberg.
Colorado Republicans quashed previous attempts, but Democrats now control both legislative chambers.
Gov. Jared Polis, who is gay, met with supporters Feb. 13.