Victory for victim in 'gender bias' case
From NEWS LETTER October 19th, 1999
A pounds 10,000 settlement paid to a transsexual hounded from her job in
the civil service was yesterday hailed as a major success by the Province's
new Equality Commission. The settlement was made to a former employee of
the Department of Health and Social Services who was forced to leave her
post after she was ''treated like a freak'' by colleagues. The woman, who
wishes to remain nameless, underwent surgery to change from a man to a woman
but suffered taunts and jibes when her past became known. She took legal
action against the DHSS which finally apologised for the ''hurt and distress''
she had suffered. The case was made possible by the introduction of the
Sex Discrimination Gender Reassignment Regulations which came into force
in August. Yesterday Sex Equality Legal Director Petra Sheils said the result
was an important one. The issue of harassment in society is one of the problems
facing transsexuals and which is discussed in BBC Northern Ireland's Spotlight
programme tonight. |
