The U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal from the Gloucester County School Board Monday. The decision comes after the Richmond-based Fourth Circuit sided with transgender student Gavin Grimm in a fight over his right to use the men’s restroom.
Grimm first filed the lawsuit claiming the rural Virginia school board discriminated against him on the basis of sex in 2015 at the age of 16. Now, at the age of 22, he’s claiming victory following the nation’s highest court’s refusal to hear Gloucester County’s argument that transgender students’ use of the gendered bathroom they identify with violated the privacy rights of cisgendered students.
Eden Heilman is the Legal Director at the ACLU of Virginia which has argued on behalf of Grim since the case started.
“You know, we really wired into the school board; the reasoning behind the policy," Heilman explained. "And, their stated reasoning was privacy, but when we asked the school board member to give examples of how this policy solved the privacy concerns that they were alleging, he wasn’t able to give any examples."
Grimm took to the internet to celebrate the win, “now it's over. We won” he tweeted, and Heilman thanked the activist who remained in the spotlight throughout the 7-year-fight
“From the beginning of this it’s just been absolutely amazing," said Heilman. "His steadfastness and ability to really be the face and voice and heart behind this, and to have focused on this for so long even though he’s not even in school anymore. We’re just in awe of him.”
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.