ONGOING CASES
Lange v. Houston County, Georgia
ELEVENTH CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS
On August 15, 2024, the Eleventh Circuit decided to reconsider en banc the recent panel ruling which upheld Ms. Lange’s right to seek coverage for gender-affirming care through her employer's healthcare plan. The order also vacated the panel’s order pending the Court’s en banc decision. The ruling may now be overturned, which could gravely affect the rights of trans employees seeking to have the costs of gender-affirming care covered by their employer's health insurance. Oral arguments will be heard by the en banc court on February 4, 2025.
Coombe v. Muse Management, Inc.
SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK
Plaintiff and trans fashion model Frances Coombe brought suit against his former management company for discrimination, retaliation, and lost wages. Coombe claims that defendants constructively terminated him after he announced that he would be transitioning and cease to present (or model) as female.
Kadel v. Folwell
FOURTH CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS
VICTORY! On April 29, 2024, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals issued a joint decision en banc in Kadel v. Folwell and Anderson v. Crouch, finding that healthcare plans that cover medically necessary treatments for certain diagnoses but bar coverage of those same medically necessary treatments for patients diagnosed with gender dysphoria violate federal law and the U.S. Constitution.
Kluge V. Brownsburg Community School
SEVENTH CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS
John Kluge resigned from his position at the Brownsburg Community School after administrators refused to allow him to misname and misgender trans students as an accommodation for his religious beliefs. On April 30, 2024, the district court entered judgment for the school and ruled that teachers do no have a religious right to misname and misgender students.
Kozak v. CSX Transp., Inc.
WESTERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK
In a breakthrough decision, the district court ruled that gender dysphoria is not a “gender identity disorder” excluded from the definition of disability under the ADA. The decision paves the way for individuals diagnosed with gender dysphoria to access greater workplace protections as disabled persons.
Zinner v. Tennessee
MIDDLE DISTRICT OF TENNESSEE
Plaintiffs Gerda Zinner and Story VanNess brought suit against the State of Tennessee, alleging that the state’s public employee health benefits program unlawfully deprived both women of coverage for essential medical services because they are transgender.
Copeland V. Georgia Dep’t of Corrections
ELEVENTH CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS
On March 28, 2024, the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that repeated and intentional misgendering could constitute a hostile work environment. The case was remanded for further proceedings before the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia.