Following in the footsteps of several other all-female Ivy League colleges – commonly called the “Seven Sisters” – after much discussion Barnard is changing its admissions policy regarding transgender students, according to a recent New York Times article. Before now, Barnard did not have any formal policy on transgender students or applicants. Applicants to the college must identify themselves as female; details of the policy – such as athletics and housing – are a work in progress but will take full effect in the fall of 2016. Barnard solicited multiple forums of community involvement when coming to this decision, including an online survey that received almost 1,000 responses. The college will remain exclusively for women.
Differences in Policies
Several of the other sister Ivy-League colleges have created new admission policies addressing transgender applicants and students. The policies, however, vary by institution.
Mount Holyoke, for example, accepts transgender men in addition to transgender women as well as those who were born biologically female but do not identify with either gender. Hollins University will accept male-born applicants only if they have completed the physical sex reassignment surgery and legal transformation from male to female. Students who transition from female to male will no longer be eligible to receive a degree from Hollins. On the contrary, the admissions policies at Smith, Wellesley and Barnard are all similar.
Transgender Discrimination Lawyer: NYC
Unfortunately, there are few laws in place to protect individuals from the LGBT community from discrimination. On a federal level, presently there is no law in place to uniformly protect individuals from this community. According to a National Center for Transgender Equality survey, 20 percent of transgender people reported a job loss due to bias, while 50 percent of transgender people reported workplace harassment.
Some issues an LGBT individual may experience include discrimination based on gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, retaliation by an employer for asserting protected LGBT rights, FMLA or other leave of absence, or HIV/AIDs status.
Legal Protections for LGBT
While the laws may not be plentiful, some state and federal laws do prohibit transgender discrimination. Protected rights include transitioning at work, dressing according to gender identity, being called by the preferred name and pronoun, using restrooms/locker rooms consistent with gender identity, having privacy concerning transgender status as well as medical information, and having employee records fully updated.
Federal laws include: Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, The Civil Service Reform Act of 1978, Executive Order 13087 and Executive Order 13672. Likewise, almost a dozen states – as well as D.C. and Puerto Rico – explicitly prohibit discrimination based on gender expression or identity, as of July, 2014. State or local government employees are protected by state constitutions that prohibit employment discrimination on the basis of sex. Nine states in the union specifically prohibit gender discrimination in state employment.
Discrimination Lawyer NYC
If you or someone you know has faced discrimination as part of the LGBT community, contact experienced discrimination attorneys in NYC to handle your case. For an initial, Free Case Evaluation, call us at (212) 967-3000 today to speak with an experienced attorney at Levine & Blit, PLLC. Levine & Blit have decades of experience in discrimination law. In fact, as one of the most aggressive discrimination lawyers NYC has to offer, Levine & Blit are accomplished in high-profile cases. Featured on several news outlets such asThe New York Times and NY Post, Levine & Blit, PLLC are highly skilled and one of the most sought after discrimination lawyers NYC has to offer. Schedule your Free Case Evaluation today.