Sixteen-year-old Max Brennan can now use the boys’ bathrooms and locker rooms in his school district after being banned for being transgender thanks to winning a settlement against Talbot County Public Schools.
In the lawsuit M.A.B. v. Board of Education of Talbot County, Brennan said he was forced to use a separate locker room and bathroom simply due to his gender identity. This March, Judge George L. Russell III of Maryland ruled in the case that Title IX forbids transgender students from being banned from bathrooms that align with their gender identity. As a result, Brennan and his school district reached a settlement giving the student permanent access to school facilities that are designated for men.
FreeState Justice says that the ruling already has had an effect for other transgender students across the country. In April, a different court used Judge Russell’s opinion to rule in favor of another transgender student fighting for the right to use the locker rooms. Considering how young this ruling is, there is a lot of potential for more trans students able to assert their right to just use the proper bathroom.
"Courts across the country have recognized that Title IX and the Constitution prohibit schools from singling out transgender students for different and discriminatory treatment. We will continue to fight alongside transgender students to ensure that all students have the opportunity to fully participate in their school and get a quality education," says Josh Block, a senior staff attorney at the ACLU LGBT & HIV Project.
The plaintiff Max Brennan is expectedly pleased with this ruling—and what it means for other transgender students. “Bringing this lawsuit has been a long journey that I hope will be able to help other transgender students in the future,” he said. “I couldn’t be happier with how everything turned out and I am extremely hopeful for the future.”