Nicole Maines, a transgender girl from Maine, recently won a long fought court battle against the school system she had attended. The Maine High Court ruled that denying Maines the right to use school facilities set aside for female use violated her rights under the Maine Human Rights Act.
The case Doe v. Clenchy, so named because Maines was initially referred to as Susan Doe to protect her identity, began in May 2011 when GLAD filed a complaint on behalf of Maines, alleging discrimination in education and public accommodation that led to harassment and distress. Although Maines had been using the female restroom at her school for nearly two years, administrators began forcing her to use the faculty restroom, separated from other students.
On November 20, 2012, the initial trial court found in favor of the school. GLAD appealed the next spring, and this week, they prevailed. Although Maines no longer attends the school named in this case, this ruling ensures that all students will no longer have to face a similar issue in achieving their most basic rights.