54 year-old Danielle Cornwell was fired last year after she told her employer she planned to undergo gender-reassignment surgery.

Originally known as David Michael Cornwell, she had realized while working for Intermountain Testing Co. that she was a transgender woman, according to the ruling. She began assuming a feminine appearance, and also told her employer she planned to change her name and dress in women's clothing.

The company, which uses X-rays and other methods to test materials for the construction and manufacturing industries, argued Cornwell was fired because of a decline in business and because she had a low performance rating.

Yeah, sure.

But in a recent decision, the head of Colorado's civil rights agency ruled that Cornwell was fired because she was a woman and because of trans bias.

The ruling means Cornwell and representatives of her former employer will meet in October to try to agree on a resolution, her attorney, John Hummel, said Thursday. Cornwell said she would not seek her job back.

Wonder why.

4 Comments

September 21, 2006 12:39 PM

[0+]  Alon Levy said:

If she doesn't want her job back, is she entitled to monetary restitution?

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September 21, 2006 4:17 PM

[0+]  EG said:

Absolutely. Why would anybody want to go back to work for a company that has been so bigoted toward them and discriminated against them? Why should anyone want to subject themselves to that? It seems to me that not wanting to go back to work for them is an eminently sane response, and shouldn't effect the compensation she's entitled to either way.

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September 21, 2006 4:39 PM

[0+]  EG said:

Ahem. "and shouldn't affect the compensation."

Sorry.

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September 21, 2006 8:52 PM

[0+]  hendmik said:

I live in Denver and it's nice to see some justice happen here. Although Denver is a bit more liberal, Colorado as a whole, is pretty conservative (Ammendment 2 anyone?).

If justice can happen here, I actually am more optimistic for places like South Dakota.

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