Transgender Child Scores Civil Rights Victory After Being Banned From School’s Bathroom

A transgender first-grader in Colorado scored a major civil rights victory Sunday after she was told she couldn’t use the girls bathroom at her elementary school.

The Colorado Civil Rights Division sided with 6-year-old Coy Mathis, who was told in December that she could not use the girls bathroom at Eagleside Elementary School.

“This ruling sends a loud and clear message that transgender students may not be targeted for discrimination and that they must be treated equally in school,” Michael Silverman of the New York-based Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund said. “It is a victory for Coy and a triumph for fairness.”

Coy’s mother, Kathryn Mathis, is very happy about this ruling. She said that she is thrilled Coy can finally return to school and put everything behind her. “All we ever wanted was for Coy’s school to treat her the same as other little girls. We are extremely happy that she now will be treated equally.”

Although Coy was born male, she has identified as a girl at a very young age. When school officials ordered her to start using the boys bathroom, nurse’s bathroom or staff bathroom, her parents filed a civil rights complaint.

Coy is not the only child who has been discriminated against for her identity at school. Earlier this month, an eighth-grade boy at Meadowlawn Middle School in St. Petersburg, Florida was pulled out of class for wearing makeup.

Chris Martin’s parents were so angry that they launched an online petition for tolerance training among faculty members.

“These attacks are terribly damaging to young people, who are already struggling to find their identity. Incidents like the one yesterday only serve to further isolate these kids, who feel abandoned by the educators that are charged with their safety and well-being,” their petition reads.

Do you think Coy should be able to use the girls bathroom at school?

[Image via Shuttershock]