Current:Home > NewsFederal judge dismisses a challenge to Tennessee’s school bathroom law -Wealth Nexus Pro
Federal judge dismisses a challenge to Tennessee’s school bathroom law
Poinbank Exchange View
Date:2025-04-09 19:54:58
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit challenging a Tennessee law that bans transgender students and staff from using school bathrooms or locker rooms that match their gender identities.
A transgender student, identified only as D.H., filed the lawsuit nearly two years ago, saying her school stopped supporting her social transition after the Republican-dominant Statehouse and GOP Gov. Bill Lee enacted several policies targeting accommodations for transgender people.
The school instead accommodated the student by allowing her to use one of four single-occupancy restrooms. However, according to D.H.'s attorneys, the accommodation caused severe stress, leading to the student briefly stopping using the restroom and limiting food and water to minimize her need for the restroom. D.H. sued the state and school district saying the law violated her constitutional rights under the Equal Protection Clause and also Title IX, the 1972 federal law that prohibits sex discrimination in education.
In 2023, U.S. District Judge William Campbell agreed the case could continue under the Equal Protection Clause claim but dismissed the claims alleging violations under Title IX.
Campbell reversed course this month and dismissed the suit entirely, saying that key rulings in separate transgender lawsuits influenced his decision.
Specifically, Campbell pointed to the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals upholding two Tennessee transgender-related laws — a ban on gender-affirming care for minors and a ban changing sex designation on birth certificates. The appeals court ruled that both laws treated the sexes equally.
“Although Plaintiff identifies as a girl, the Act prohibits her from using the facilities that correspond to her gender identity, while students who identify with their biological sex at birth are permitted to use such facilities,” Campbell wrote in his Sept. 4 ruling. “However, the Act and policy do not prefer one sex over the other, bestow benefits or burdens based on sex, or apply one rule for males and another for females.”
The Human Rights Campaign, an LGBTQ+ rights group representing D.H., did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment on Friday.
The suit was one of the two that attempted to challenge the bathroom law known as the Tennessee Accommodations for All Children Act. The second lawsuit was dropped after the child plaintiffs moved out of state.
Across the U.S., at least 11 states have adopted laws barring transgender girls and women from girls and women’s bathrooms at public schools, and in some cases other government facilities. The laws are in effect in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Utah. A judge’s order putting enforcement on hold is in place in Idaho.
According to the Human Rights Campaign, Tennessee has enacted more anti-LGBTQ+ laws more than any other state since 2015, identifying more than 20 bills that advanced out of the Legislature over the past few months.
veryGood! (6884)
Related
- Elon Musk's skyrocketing net worth: He's the first person with over $400 billion
- How Sophie Turner and Joe Jonas Are Celebrating the Holidays Amid Their Divorce
- Joseph Parker stuns Deontay Wilder, boxing world with one-sided victory
- At a church rectory in Boston, Haitian migrants place their hopes on hard work and helping hands
- House passes bill to add 66 new federal judgeships, but prospects murky after Biden veto threat
- Mike Nussbaum, prolific Chicago stage actor with film roles including ‘Field of Dreams,’ dies at 99
- Inmate dies after he was found unresponsive at highly scrutinized West Virginia jail
- Finding new dimensions, sisterhood, and healing in ‘The Color Purple’
- South Korean president's party divided over defiant martial law speech
- As conflicts rage abroad, a fractured Congress tries to rally support for historic global challenges
Ranking
- Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Hi Hi!
- CBS News poll: What are Americans' hopes and resolutions for 2024?
- Alabama woman with rare double uterus gives birth to twin girls — on 2 different days
- Wisconsin Supreme Court tosses GOP-drawn legislative maps in major redistricting case
- Where will Elmo go? HBO moves away from 'Sesame Street'
- We Would Have Definitely RSVP'd Yes to These 2023 Celebrity Weddings
- Motive sought for mass shooting at Prague university that left more than a dozen dead
- Simone Biles Speaks Out Amid Criticism Over Jonathan Owens' Relationship Comments
Recommendation
Who's hosting 'Saturday Night Live' tonight? Musical guest, how to watch Dec. 14 episode
Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence clears concussion protocol, likely to start vs. Buccaneers
Louisville officers shot suspect who was holding man at gunpoint in apartment, police say
Palestinian death toll tops 20,000 in Israel-Hamas war, Gaza officials say
New Mexico governor seeks funding to recycle fracking water, expand preschool, treat mental health
As it hypes ad-free quarter, let's revisit NBC's boldest NFL broadcast: a game without announcers
Rogue wave kills navigation system on cruise ship with nearly 400 on board as deadly storm hammers northern Europe
Apple Watch wasn't built for dark skin like mine. We deserve tech that works for everyone.