Professor Terminated for Being Transgender

Southeastern Oklahoma State University

A transgender professor was denied tenure and fired from Southeastern Oklahoma State University for her gender identity. Rachel Tudor, who is transgender, was told by the school's human resources department that she could only use the single-use handicapped restroom after she underwent gender reassignment surgery.

Tudor, who taught for the English, humanities and language department, surmised that the request came from academic affairs vice president Douglas McMillan, who had once said that Tudor's transgender status "offends his Baptist beliefs," according to The Daily Collegian at Oklahoma State University. She was then denied tenure at the school and told that she would be terminated at the end of the semester, on May 31.

According to a petition in support of Tudor, the professor has been approved for tenure twice in the last two years by the Faculty Appeals Committee, but the administration re-wrote the Academic Policies and Procedures manual to prevent Tudor from obtaining tenure.

Bilerico reports that Tudor has brought her case to the Oklahoma Human Rights Commission, U.S. Department of Education, and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

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Reader Comments

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Name: Jester
Date posted: 4/29/2011 2:52:55 AM
Hometown: Oakland

Comment:
No LGBT anti-discrimination policy per se at this school, but the employee handbook states: "It is the policy of Southeastern Oklahoma State University to take every available opportunity to ensure that each applicant who is offered a position at the University shall have been selected solely on the basis of qualification, merit, and professional capability alone." That sounds like a solid basis for a lawsuit, since it appears that SOSU clearly violated its own terms of employment.
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Name: shakey
Date posted: 4/29/2011 12:46:56 AM
Hometown: collinsville Oklahoma

Comment:
That's whys I left Oklahoma....thay are so stuck in the dark in that state.....give her the tenure that she has worked for....I'll never live in the bible thumping state again....I'll go back to vust cause my family is there but I'll never live there again
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Name: Davya
Date posted: 4/28/2011 11:34:05 PM
Hometown: Wynnewood, PA

Comment:
And suddenly Jesus' mouth is opened he no longer accepts transpeople. Your "baptist" beliefs translate to "I hate transpeople and this is how I justify it" Well, aside from yelling "Baptist" and "Christian", there isn't A SINGLE line of the New Testament that even implies the "immorality" of transsexuality any more than it implies the "immorality" of breathing. You casual use of what it means to be Christian is an insult to all Christians, Baptist ones included. This institution should be ashamed of itself. Transwoman: go to a place with brighter minds and fuller hearts.
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Name: Megan
Date posted: 4/28/2011 11:28:04 PM
Hometown: Tulsa, OK

Comment:
Dianna- nearly every single institution in Oklahoma, be it one of higher education, a state agency, or the state/local governments, is a religious institution. You can't get away from it here. Even my wonderful, private, liberal arts university is technically a Christian school. Religion gets shoved down our throats from every direction in this area. I had never even heard of this university before this article. I wonder how the students feel about this...
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Name: Dianna
Date posted: 4/28/2011 10:52:05 PM
Hometown: Boston

Comment:
What about separation of church and state. OSU should stop receiving any federal money because they are an overtly religious organization.
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Name: Megan
Date posted: 4/28/2011 10:46:38 PM
Hometown: Tulsa

Comment:
As a native Oklahoman, I am deeply ashamed by the intolerance and the use of religion to oppress so many people in my state. I am lucky to attend a university that accepts and protects LGBT students and professors, and would NEVER pay tuition to a university that would discriminate against ANYONE in such a manner. Oklahoma is becoming a very dangerous place for anyone who isn't an employed WASP male. I am saddened an embarrassed by the current social and political climate in the state I love so much.
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Name: Jeannie
Date posted: 4/28/2011 8:16:27 PM
Hometown: Tempe, AZ, USA, Earth

Comment:
If Ms. Tudor can prove what the President said about her offending his Baptist beliefs. she could sue for violation of her First Admendment Rights (essentially, separation of Church and State) since this is a State College. Again, we need an all GLBT inclusive ENDA!
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Name: Marge
Date posted: 4/28/2011 6:52:55 PM
Hometown: Altoon

Comment:
I saw this identical thing happen to me! I lost a high standing job in education due to the wrath of an evil Baptist. I am a good christian and truly believe that Baptists are Demonic!
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Name: Mark
Date posted: 4/28/2011 6:26:34 PM
Hometown: Omaha

Comment:
This is exactly why we need a trans-inclusive ENDA on the federal level.
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Name: Amanda
Date posted: 4/28/2011 5:12:43 PM
Hometown: lawrence kansas

Comment:
This is sad..As a transsgender woman this happens alot and most times not even reported because we don't want to make to much of a fuss.Why,you may ask is because we try so hard to just blend in and not make a scene.I too feel very lucky to have my job of 15 years.they know and it wasn't always easy.And before this job I to was fired from a food place because I was transgender they just didn't word it like that though.

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