Lawsuit Against Ohio Judge Who Denied Transgender Teens’ Name Changes Is Dismissed
by Samuel Smith, Christian Post:
A federal judge on Wednesday dismissed a lawsuit brought against an Ohio judge who was sued by three families because he rejected the name change applications of transgender teenagers.
Probate Judge Joseph Kirby of Warren County was accused in a federal lawsuit filed in August of having a “pattern and practice” of denying name changes to transgender minors who feel as though their gender identity doesn’t match that of their biological sex.
The lawsuit was brought forward by Stephanie Whitaker, whose 15-year-old transgender son, Elliott, was denied a name change in June and told to come back at the age of 18.
Whitaker was joined in the lawsuit by Jennifer Saul, whose 15-year-old transgender son had a name change hearing on Aug. 14 before Kirby that has since been delayed. Another woman, listed in the lawsuit as “Jane Doe,” joined the litigation on grounds that she feared Kirby would reject her 17-year-old son’s name request even though such a request was never filed.
The lawsuit accused the judge of discriminating against transgender teens by preventing them from using names that correspond with their new gender identity.
U.S. District Judge William O. Bertelsman didn’t rule on whether Kirby was obliged to grant the name changes but did recently toss out the lawsuit.
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