While I was driving home from work I heard news coverage of a recent Supreme Court Case Ruling that found a Christian Funeral Home that fired an employee who had presented as a male for several years and said he now planned to dress as a female was in violation of the equal rights act.
I was surprised that the new, more conservative, court would make this ruling. I came home and looked up the case to make sure I had understood what had been reported. I read that the decision was, “An employer who fires an individual merely for being gay or transgender violates Title VII.”
As background, the employee was hired to prepare bodies for presentation and had other duties as well. The funeral home director said his concern was how the change would effect female employees who would now be sharing a restroom with a former male workmate who would now be dressing as a female. He said he was also concerned about how customers would react when they dealt with the subject.
The employee that was fired said that he had seriously considered suicide to the point that he was at his home with a gun pointed at his chest. He said he was lead to this because he had been living a lie his whole life.
These are both compelling arguments. While accepting that there are strong feelings on both sides of this issue I have no hesitation in choosing the side of the employer. You can disagree, I am sure many will. I stand with the employer for the following reasons.
As a proprietor of a Christian funeral home he is obligated to his clients. I have buried a son, a sister and both of my parents. I know that burying a loved one is among the most stressful tasks anyone is called on to perform, particularly if you are charged with making the arrangements. The Christian Bible is clearly against transgender activity, most practicing Christians are as well. The proprietor stated that he was concerned about offending clients, with this background I can easily see his concern.
I also feel that in any situation like this the proprietor is being asked to take the risk, of his business, the employee is not. If, as a result of having a transgender employee, the funeral home lost enough business to have to close the owner would lose his future, his investment, his business. The employee would simply have to look for another job.
How do you feel about this?
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Thanks Phil
In this day and age most people should be able to accept alternate lifestyles. It can be a shocking experience but people can get used to it. You see I found out at the age of 45 that my Dad was transgender. While late on a Sunday evening waiting for my laundry to dry I was flipping through TV channels. All of a sudden I realized Dad was on TV. I scrambled to find the channel the show was on. On WTTW they had a show called Wild Chicago. It was on transgender men. Dad was beautiful. There’s more to the story but will stop with this.
The employer doesn’t have to tell his customers if anyone is transgender. It doesn’t sound like he/she will have much if any customer contact The other employees can get used to the difference. I do see a problem with the washroom.
Isn’t the current Pope promoting a more accepting culture?
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