Evangelical School Sued for Firing Trans IT Staffer

Conservative Christians and many other religious individuals often reject viewpoints promulgated by trans people and trans activists. Progressive ideas on gender and sexuality have long been rejected by traditional religious groups, and this has led to numerous lawsuits throughout the United States. Some might argue that these two different philosophies will never find common ground, but courts could help settle some of these disputes. A recent case involves a trans IT staffer who claims she was fired from her position at an evangelical school as a result of her gender/sexuality. 

Trans IT Staffer Argues She Was Fired Because of Her Trans Identity

In November of 2024, an evangelical school was sued for wrongful termination in Virginia. She claims that after revealing that she is a trans woman, she was terminated from her position as an IT staffer at the school. 

The school is already attempting to have the lawsuit dismissed, arguing that as a religious educational institution, they have the right to make employment decisions that are consistent with their religious beliefs. This evangelical belief is that there are only two genders and that a person cannot change the gender to which they were assigned at birth. Specifically, the school argues that under their Christian faith, such behavior is sinful. 

Liberty University’s Position

The school in question is one of the largest of its kind. First established many decades ago, it has more than 100,000 students enrolled around the world. Many of these students study via online learning programs, and IT staffers have played an increasingly central role as a result. 

Aside from its basic opposition to transgender workers, the school makes an interesting argument about how the plaintiff applied for the IT position. They claim that their job application was part of a premeditated plot to “set up” the school and that the entire purpose was to sue the school under the Civil Rights Act. 

The school ostensibly argues that when the plaintiff applied for the IT job, they self-identified as male. After this individual had been offered the position, they began taking female hormones (or so the school claims). In addition, the student has been accused of voluntarily signing an agreement on the school’s “statement rejecting transgender transition.” 

The school claims that once the applicant had successfully navigated their 90-day probation period, they made their intention to transition clear. When notifying the school about their decision to become female, the IT staffer also requested that they abandon their policy on trans individuals. 

The Plaintiff’s Position

In response, the plaintiff’s lawyers argue that this lawsuit represents a “real concern with employment discrimination.” The plaintiff also claims that she hoped the school would accept her decision to transition, as she admired the institution and was committed to success in her new position. She has since accepted an IT position at a different university, which is also Christian but takes a more inclusive approach to hiring. The plaintiff is seeking more than $300,000 in damages. 

Tracking Developments in Transgender Rights

Each month, the Universal Life Church discusses the various developments in transgender rights, right here on our blog. While many issues involving transgender individuals involve a complex series of laws, our articles focus on describing matters as simply as possible. We also provide unbiased perspectives in our articles, which means that we focus on the arguments raised by each side.