NCLR to represent
transgender Florida city manager

The National Center for Lesbian Rights announced Friday that it will represent Steve Stanton, who was recently terminated from his long-held position as the city manager of Largo, Fla., after he told his employers that he is transgender and will be undergoing sex-reassignment.

NCLR is working with Stanton in his efforts to educate the city commissioners and retract their termination procedures. NCLR will represent Stanton in legal proceedings, if necessary, to help him regain the position as city manager that he has held for 14 years.

Senior counsel for NCLR, Karen Doering, has worked with Largo city officials to educate them about transgender issues: "Being transgender is not a legitimate reason to fire a highly competent, dedicated public employee. We are hopeful the commisssion will reconsider its hasty decision, do the right thing, and let Steve get back to work." (The Advocate)