Landmark Ruling Prohibits Transgender Discrimination
After a precedent-setting ruling by the Vermont Attorney General that Vermont law prohibits discrimination against transgender people in employment, public accommodations, housing, and other areas, the Town of Hardwick yesterday settled a discrimination claim brought by former police officer Anthony Barreto-Neto. In its ruling on November 4, 2003, the Attorney General found probable cause that the town of Hardwick illegally fired Barreto-Neto after it learned that he is transgender.
According to Jennifer Levi, an expert on transgender legal issues at Gay & Lesbian Advocates and Defenders, “The Attorney General clearly found that transgender persons are protected under Vermont’s prohibitions against sex or sexual orientation discrimination. This is a ground-breaking decision for transgender people who have historically been excluded from many civil rights protections and continue to experience pervasive discrimination. The Attorney General should be commended for determining that all Vermonters must be judged on their merits rather than sterotypes.”