NEWS FLASH

Illinois Department Of Human Rights Rejects Trans Woman’s Nondiscrimination Claim | Meggan Sommerville filed a complaint to the Illinois Department of Human Rights (IDHR) after her employer, Hobby Lobby, refused to let her use the women’s restroom. Sommerville transitioned to realize her gender identity during her 14-year employment at the craft store, but despite even obtaining a state ID indicating her new gender identity, the store denied her use of the proper restroom. IDHR dismissed the complaint based on a lack of evidence — despite the fact that Hobby Lobby admitted the restriction —claiming her “physical anatomy was that of a male.” Illinois law protects usage of public accommodations based on gender identity, making IDHR’s dismissal an egregious violation of Sommerville’s civil rights. Christina Kahrl of Equality Illinois argued that the dismissal communicates that rights are “economically determined” by who can afford gender-related surgeries and who cannot.