ACLU Comment on District Court Ruling in Favor of Gavin Grimm

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — The U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of Virginia has ruled in favor of ACLU client Gavin Grimm, in his request for summary judgement in a sex discrimination lawsuit against the Gloucester County School Board.

Statement from Gavin Grimm:

“It is such a relief to achieve this closure and vindication from the court after four years of fighting not just for myself, but for trans youth across America. I promise to continue to advocate for as long as it takes for everyone to be able to live their authentic lives freely, in public, and without harassment and discrimination.”

More information on the case is available here: https://www.aclu.org/cases/grimm-v-gloucester-county-school-board

BACKGROUND:

In 2015,when Gavin was a 15-year-old sophomore at Gloucester High School, the school board adopted a policy preventing him from using bathroom facilities consistent with his gender identity. The ACLU and the ACLU of Virginia subsequently sued on his behalf.

The judge heard arguments relating to the ACLU’s motion for summary judgement on July 23. In the ruling issued today, Judge Arenda L. Wright Allen declared that the school board’s policy violated Grimm’s rights under the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 from the time it was adopted, through his graduation.

She also issued a permanent injunction requiring the board to update Grimm’s high school transcripts to reflect a male gender marker and provide copies to him within 10 days.