A school teacher in Australia has been forced out of her job after beginning her transition, sparking allegations of discrimination against the school who told her that she should 'think about the children'.
Blaise Harris, who worked at Cessnock High School in New South Wales for three years before her transition, reported that the school abruptly stopped offering her work after she began her transition to her true gender, with the schools head telling her that her gender 'might be a problem' if she was to be continued to be employed there.
Balise began her transition in 2014, growing her hair out and taking female hormones before changing her legal name and gender. Blaise was further stunned when she took her complaint to the Department of Education, who quickly sided with the school and refused to take her case any further. A senior manager at the Department of Education told her 'I don't have a problem with what the school did at all. You have to think of the children.'
Following this response Blaise has chosen to make a legal case against both the school and the Department of Education via the Anit-Discrimination Board, who have accepted her case. Blaise is hoping to receive an official apology from both groups and possible compensation for the loss of earnings and severe emotional distress the situation has caused her.
At one point during the proceedings Blaise became so depressed with the situation that she reportedly stopped her transition and attempted to resume her work presenting as male, before the pain of which became too much for her to bear and she returned to living life as her true self.
'I thought at the time, I can't take on the Department, they're bloody massive, it would be easier to change me,' Blaise said, speaking about her de-transition. 'Then I changed back and sank into depression again, until I basically realised no, I'm not going to do this, I'm going to be who I want to be. I don't see how me having boobs and wearing a dress to work because that's how I want to be, I don't see how that negatively impacts on anyone else's life.'
The Department of Education has released a statement following the launch of the Anti-Discrimination Board case to say 'Schools are committed to diversity in the workforce and non-discriminatory environments.'
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AMY keep fighting, be the true person you are, and be happy forever
ReplyDeleteYes, keep fighting. You are not alone.
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ReplyDeleteYou are a hero for fighting back, not changing who you are and helping to change these discriminative policies. Thank you for making a difference.
ReplyDeleteYou are a hero for fighting back, not changing who you are and helping to change these discriminative policies. Thank you for making a difference.
ReplyDeleteYou arr a hero for fighting back and making a difference
ReplyDeleteBlaise, I used to be a high school science teacher. The year I transitioned, I suddenly became a Teacher In Need of Improvement and 3 years later lost my job. Keep fighting! Don't change who you are!
ReplyDeleteThis bears all the hallmarks of the tragic case of Lucy Meadows in the UK, except in the Lucy Meadows case it was down to a malicious article by Richard Littlejohn in the Mail on Sunday which ultimately led to Lucy taking her own life.
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