Trial Begins for Lesbian Locomotive Engineer

The trial began Monday in New York in the case of a lesbian locomotive engineer for Long Island Rail Road who claims she suffered discrimination over false allegations that she "grabbed and jiggled" another female engineer's breast.

According to the New York Daily News, "Melissa Stampf, 43, insists she merely touched the woman's shoulder, but was arrested in July 2006 for forcible touching and suspended without pay."

Stampf, who claims to be the only Asian female engineer at the railroad, is suing the LIRR and accuser Angela Trigg in Brooklyn Federal Court, alleging that she was treated differently than white males implicated in similar incidents because of her race, gender, and sexual orientation.

"Stampf's lawyer Philip Dinhofer said Trigg had a history of making complaints against co-workers: Trigg had previously accused a male co-worker of slapping her buttocks and another male of making a lewd comment, he said," the Daily News reported. "They were each docked five days' pay. Stampf lost about 20 days' pay."

Following the incident in July 2006, Stampf was arrested. The Manhattan District Attorney declined to prosecute.