Transgender Women Sue Florida for Discrimination

Free Case Evaluation

Transgender Women Sue Florida for Discrimination Two transgender women have filed a lawsuist against the state of Florida for denying them treatment for gender affirming treatment.

Jami Claire and Kathryne Lane claim in the lawsuit that they’re going without necessary treatment for gender dysphoria because state health care plans exclude coverage for gender-affirming care.

Claire, a senior biological scientist at the University of Florida, and Lane, a lawyer in the public defender’s office in Tallahassee, are suing their employers and the state’s Division of Management Services.

“Transgender state employees are singled out and explicitly denied coverage for one reason: they are transgender,” said Southern Legal Counsel attorney Simone Chriss, lead counsel for the case. “That is discrimination, and it cannot stand.”

The lawsuit claims that excluding gender-affirming care is sex discrimination and violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.

“I think there’s this misconception that it’s special, unnecessary, different treatment,” Chriss said. “What we are asking for is simply equal treatment, equal access to a health insurance plan, equal access to coverage for these benefits.”

Claire said she started transitioning and paying out of pocket for her treatments in 1997. However, she had to stop five years later because the costs were too high. In 2016, she resumed her transition but found out the state’s insurance wouldn’t cover her treatments.

“Having these surgeries is life-affirming,” she said. “Many trans people, and I’m one of them, attempt self-harm or attempt to remove those body parts. It can be bloody, it can be messy and it can kill you.”

Although she worries about the retaliation or backlash she may receive from being a plaintiff, Claire says it’s vital. She said that she’s lost her relationships with her family and warned that losing loved ones is a common risk for trangender people.

“I would not trade my life now for anything,” she said. “I am happier now than I have ever been, in spite of all the issues I have now.”

According to a 2019 brief from the American Medical Association, 25 percent of transgender people had an issue with their insurance for transition care. It adds that suicide rates go down when transgender people receive medical treatment.

 

workers compensation attorneys in dc

Injury Attorneys DC, MD, VA – Get the Compensation You Deserve! Whether you have been injured in a car accident, a malpractice victim, injured on the job, as the result of shoddy craftsmanship, or in a slip and fall, we can help! Our experienced, competent attorneys excel in all areas of personal injury law.

Practice Areas 

FREE CASE EVALUATION

Our team is available and ready to help you with your case. Feel free to contact us via the form below or call us 24/7 at 202-955-4529

Recent Posts

Client Review

"The legal team at Cohen & Cohen did a great job I really appreciate the hard work on gating my compensation in a fair amount of time. Special thanks to Kris for a wonderful job."
Jose Rivera
Client Review

"I had a great experience with the team at Cohen & Cohen. From my intake attorney, Adam, to the paralegal, Bryan, who worked with me regularly for months to document and prepare my case, to Jill, the attorney who secured my settlement, I feel fortunate to have had their representation and expertise on my side."
Lea Harvey
Client Review

Read more:

Cohen & Cohen has an  impeccable Client Satisfaction Rating with hundreds of
5 STAR Reviews. We are among the best-rated firms in the areas we serve.

Cohen & Cohen has an  impeccable Client Satisfaction Rating with hundreds of
5 STAR Reviews. We are among the best-rated firms in the areas we serve.