Woman Fired For Trans Views Wins Appeal

A woman who got fired for saying that transgender women aren't actually women got fired for her comments. She then sued and won her appeal. Moral of the story? You're still allowed to have an opinion. We think.

Anyway, all of this took place in England, where a woman named Maya Fortsater sued the Center for Global Development after her contract wasn't renewed. That decision was made after whiny coworkers complained about some of her tweets regarding trans women.

But a High Court Judge sided with Forstater, saying that even if you don't agree, her views "must be tolerated." Forstater, obviously, was elated with the ruling.

"I am delighted to have been vindicated. I lost my job simply for expressing a view that is true and important and held by the great majority of people in this country: sex matters," she said, via Sky News. "Being a woman is a material reality. It is not a costume or a feeling. Institutions that pretend sex doesn't matter become hostile places for women, in particular.

"After this judgment, employers and service-providers that ignore sex and silence women who object, need to consider whether they are acting unlawfully, and the substantial legal risks they face if they do not change their approach."

During her public struggle for free speech, the 47-year old Forstater received support from none other than J.K. Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter series. Rowling has expressed similar views about gender in the past. Rowling tweeted: “Live your best life in peace and security. But force women out of their jobs for stating that sex is real?”

Apparently, that's not always something you can do, and maybe the U.S. can learn a lesson from all this.

Written by
Sam Amico spent 15 years covering the NBA for Sports Illustrated, FOX Sports and NBA.com, along with a few other spots, and currently runs his own basketball website on the side, FortyEightMinutes.com.