Because I am a Woman

gaywrites:

In a case officials say could be precedent-setting, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has ruled that trans* people are protected on a federal level from discrimination on the basis of gender identity.

The decision comes from the case of Mia Macy, a trans woman who believes she was dropped from consideration for a job when she revealed that she was transitioning from male to female. She filed a complaint last June.

Now, the EEOC has ruled that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act protects trans* people from sex discrimination “in part because the term ‘gender’ encompasses not only a person’s biological sex but also the cultural and social aspects associated with masculinity and femininity.” Now how’s that for a definition?

“This decision is going to be game-changing for transgender people who face employment discrimination in this country,” said Ilona Turner, legal director for the San Francisco-based Transgender Law Center, which represents Macy. “It’s precedent-setting, and it’s a binding decision on EEOC offices across the country.”

This is truly incredible news. Obviously the case isn’t over quite yet, but this decision could very well change a whole lot about how we address trans* issues at work.

(via lipstick-feminists)