Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell led a coalition of 20 attorneys general today in filing an amicus brief in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit in Zinski v. Liberty University. The brief, filed in support of plaintiff Ellenor Zinski, urges the Court to affirm Zinski’s right to sue her former employer, Liberty University, for sex-based discrimination after Liberty fired her upon learning of her identity as a transgender woman. The coalition explains that the lower court’s ruling protects states’ ability to enforce employment anti-discrimination laws.

“Discriminating against an employee based on their gender identity is unacceptable, and our civil rights laws forbid it. Time and time again, courts have ruled that religious organizations have no blanket exemption from laws that protect their workers from discrimination, and in this case, Ms. Zinski is well within her right to sue,” said AG Campbell.  “I am proud to lead this coalition and will continue to fight against blatant discrimination and violations of the law.”