The mother of a transgender student at George Fox University, a conservative Christian college in Oregon, has started an online petition calling for the school to reverse its decision to ban her son from residing in an all-male dorm on campus. Jayce, a transgender man and sophomore at the school, says he was offered "alternatives" by the university to either live in a single room on campus, or live in an off-campus apartment with other male students, on the condition that he disclose his trans status to his roommates and their parents.
Now Jayce's lawyer, Paul Southwick, has filed an official complaint against George Fox University, alleging discrimination on the basis of sex and gender in violation of Title IX. According to KGW, a judge will soon issue a court order affirming Jayce's gender identity, and allowing him to change the name and gender marker on his driver's license, birth certificate, and with Social Security.
"The university’s decision makes me feel rejected, misunderstood and punished for something I cannot change," Jayce told KGW. "It also makes me anxious and nervous about where I'll be able to live next year, and the year after that."
The university has released a statement on its website, saying that, "The university has researched the student’s attorney’s legal claims and believes they are without merit, especially given the religious nature of the university."
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