A federal judge may soon issue a ruling in a lawsuit brought against the U.S. State Department by a gender-neutral individual who has filed the suit in an effort to obtain a passport without selecting a gender. According to the claim, requiring individuals born with ambiguous sex characteristics to choose between male and female is discriminatory and requires some people to lie on their passport applications.
Other countries including Australia, New Zealand, and Nepal do not require passport applicants to choose between male and female. Moreover, since 2010, the U.S. has allowed transgender individuals to select the gender with which they identify. U.S. District Judge R. Brooke Jackson, who will hear the case, has urged the State Department to settle the lawsuit, which may indicate that a favorable ruling for the plaintiff is likely.
Philadelphia discrimination lawyers at The Gold Law Firm P.C. fight for the rights of LGBT employees in the workplace. All employees have the right to work in an environment free from harassment and discrimination based on sex or gender. If you have been a victim of sex discrimination or gender discrimination at work, call 215-569-1999 or contact us online for a free case evaluation.