Ill. Trans Woman Wins Discrimination Suit

In what may be the first award to a transgender person under the Illinois Human Rights Act, a taxi company has been ordered to pay more than $100,000 for discrimination against a transgender employee.

The state’s Human Rights Commission awarded Venessa Fitzsimmons $104,711 as the result of her complaint against her former employer, Universal Taxi Dispatch, which serves Chicago and its suburbs, reports Windy City Times. Fitzsimmons worked at Universal from 2004 to 2008, during which time owner Gordon Simic called her a “freak,” a “queer,” and an “abomination,” according to the judgment handed down by the commission Monday. It also says he made Fitzsimmons pay for repairs to her taxi, something not required of other employees.

Fitzsimmons’s lawyer, Joanie Rae Wimmer, further claims that Simic threatened to fire her client because she is transgender — he said he was losing business because of her — and that the company refused to aid Fitzsimmons when her taxi broke down.

Wimmer, who is also transgender, said the award is likely the first one to a trans person under the human rights act, which has covered gender identity since 2006. She added, “This award sends a message to all corporations doing business in the State of Illinois that discrimination based on gender identity will not be tolerated any longer.”