Gavin Grimm is an 18-year-old recent high school graduate from Gloucester, Virginia. He is transgender. Gavin and his mother notified administrators of his male gender identity at the beginning of his sophomore year so that he could socially transition in all aspects of his life. With permission from school administrators, Gavin used the boys’ restroom for almost two months without any incident. But after receiving complaints from some parents and residents of Gloucester County, the school board adopted a new policy banning Gavin from using the boys’ restrooms on December 9, 2014, by a vote of 6-1, despite warnings from the ACLU. The ACLU filed a federal lawsuit on Gavin’s behalf. The lawsuit argues the bathroom policy is unconstitutional under the Fourteenth Amendment and violates Title IX of the U.S. Education Amendments of 1972, a federal law prohibiting sex discrimination by schools. After a progressive series of court appearances, Gavin’s case was set to be heard by the Supreme Court. But the Supreme Court announced that it is sending Gavin’s case back to the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals to be reconsidered. Gavin graduated high school in June 2017—still unable to use the same restroom as other boys.
