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Fired Without Cause

For two years, Vandy Beth Glenn worked for the Georgia General Assembly's Office of Legislative Counsel as an editor and proofreader of bill language. She loved her job but privately struggled with years of unrelenting distress as a male. Finally, she consulted health care professionals and was diagnosed with Gender Identity Disorder (GID), a serious medical condition. Her doctors determined that gender transition was necessary for her health and wellbeing.

In the fall of 2007, Glenn announced her plans to proceed with her transition from male to female to her immediate supervisor, who then told the head of the office where she worked. After Glenn's intended transition was confirmed, she was fired on the spot.

Lambda Legal is suing the Georgia General Assembly officials in federal court on Glenn's behalf. We're arguing that assembly officials violated the U.S. Constitution's equal protection guarantee by treating Glenn differently once they learned of her female identity and by disregarding her GID and the need for treatment.

"We should expect more from the leaders of our state than to fire me simply for being who I am," says Glenn.

The case is Glenn v. Brumby, et al.

Gender Identity Disorder Facts

  • Gender Identity Disorder (GID) is a serious health condition consisting of a persistent discomfort with one's assigned sex and a strong identification with a different sex, causing significant distress or impairment.
  • Some, but not all, transgender people are diagnosed with GID.
  • Health experts recognize that treatment of GID is medically necessary. The accepted therapeutic approach involves an individualized gender transition, including living full-time as a member of the gender that corresponds with one's identity.