News Item

Transgendered Civil Rights In Hawaii

July 1, 2002

The Hawaii Civil Rights Commission has ruled that transsexual and  transgender people are protected under the state's employer  anti-discrimination laws.

The decision allows it to go ahead with a discrimination suit, filed by  five employees of a Honolulu company who were fired for wearing dresses  to work.

The company claimed that the workers did not abide by employer-dictated  dress codes. State law allows a company to dictate a dress code.

The Civil Rights Commission ruled that despite the law, an employer  cannot order an employee to wear the clothing of a particular gender.

A group representing some of Hawaii's biggest companies fought against  the ruling, arguing that firms have the right to tell their workers what  is and what is not appropriate attire.

In his submission to the commission, John Knorek, the attorney for the  group said: "Men who dress and identify with being female are not  entitled to protection under sex-discrimination laws and they are
expressly excluded from it.

Knorek said the group may appeal in federal court.