Statement on Gavin Grimm SCOTUS decision
Washington DC, March 6, 2017 — The National LGBTQ Task Force is making the following statement in response to the United States Supreme Court’s decision to send the case of Gavin Grimm, the transgender student at the center of a historic case regarding transgender equality, back to the lower court.
“It is extremely disappointing that the Supreme Court declined to use this opportunity to provide clarity on gender identity protections under Title IX sex protections. That said, nothing about today’s action changes the meaning of the law: Title IX and the Constitution protect Gavin and other transgender students from discrimination. Every single young person in our nation should have access to a quality education, free from discrimination, persecution and violence. The outpouring of support for Gavin — and through his case, every trans student in our education system — further illustrates America’s abhorrence for discrimination in all its forms, and particularly against the most vulnerable, our children and young people,” said Stacey Long Simmons, Director of Public Policy and Government Affairs, National LGBTQ Task Force.
The High Court decision comes shortly after the historic guidance to Title IX, providing support and protections to transgender students issued by the Obama Administration, was removed by the Trump Administration. The Obama guidance provided clarity on matters such as: the right of students to not be discriminated against, or bullied because of their gender identity, to be addressed by the names and pronouns that correspond to their identity, using the bathroom matching their gender identity, among others. The guidance was challenged in court by the opponents of LGBTQ equality.
Recently, the National LGBTQ Task Force joined a wide diversity of people and organizations from across the nation who filed friend of court briefs. These included: school teachers and administrators, multi-faith leaders, state Attorneys General and city officials, and other transgender students and their family members.
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CONTACT:
Mark Daley
Chief Communications and Marketing Officer
National LGBTQ Task Force
mdaley@thetaskforce.org
Direct: 202.639.6325
Cell: 202.379.8318
