Glenn v. Brumby
United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
663 F.3d 1312 (2011)
- Written by Abby Roughton, JD
Facts
Vandiver Elizabeth Glenn (plaintiff) was born a biological male but was diagnosed with gender-identity disorder in 2005 and began taking steps to transition medically from male to female. In October of 2005, when Glenn was presenting as a man, Glenn was hired as an editor for the Georgia General Assembly’s Office of Legislative Counsel (OLC). On Halloween in 2006, Glenn came to work presenting as a woman. Sewell Brumby (defendant), the head of the OLC, told Glenn to leave the office because Glenn’s appearance was inappropriate. Brumby stated that it was “unsettling” and “unnatural” for Glenn to wear women’s clothing. Brumby subsequently met with Glenn’s supervisor and learned that Glenn would be undergoing a gender transition. In the fall of 2007, Glenn informed her supervisor that she was ready to proceed with the transition and planned to change her name and start coming to work as a woman. Glenn’s supervisor notified Brumby, and Brumby terminated Glenn because Brumby felt that the gender transition was “disruptive” and would make Glenn’s coworkers uncomfortable. Glenn sued Brumby, alleging that Brumby had engaged in sex discrimination in violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. Brumby admitted that he had fired Glenn solely based on Glenn’s transition, but he claimed that he was motivated by a concern that women might object to Glenn’s use of the women’s restroom. The district court granted summary judgment to Glenn on her sex-discrimination claim, and Brumby appealed.
Rule of Law
Issue
Holding and Reasoning (Barkett, J.)
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