WA State Attorney General ‘Joins’ Transgender Bathroom Support Lawsuit
Although he won't have any actual 'legal' influence in the case, Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson is essentially lending his support to a Virginia case.
Tuesday, the Attorney General's office announced the filing of what's called an 'amicus' or friend of the court brief in the case of Gloucester County School board vs. Grimm.
Gavin Grimm is a high school student born as a female, but identifies as a male. Last year, a suit was filed after his district modified procedures and banned him from using the men's bathrooms.
The case has made it's way through various appeals and other courts. Ferguson has joined with 17 other Attorney's General in offering legal support to Grimm's case. Ferguson had this to say in his brief:
“Discrimination against transgender people has no legitimate basis and serves only to injure a group that is feared for being different,” the states’ brief asserts. “It harms transgender people at work, at school, and in other settings, causing tangible economic, emotional, and health consequences.”
The Washington State Human Rights Commission quietly passed similar transgender bath and locker room policies in December 2015 with virtually no public input, hearings or other feedback; instead choosing to side with the minority groups who wanted the changes.