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j i f- Winn-Dixie fires trucker who crossdresses away from work by Eric Ferrero, Special to Q-Notes NEW ORLEANS, LA — The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against grocery store giant Winn- Dixie on behalf of a heterosexual male truck driver who was fired because — away from work — he sometimes dresses in womens clothing and expresses feminine aspects of his identity. Peter Oiler, 45, worked for 20 years at Winn- Dixie, a top Fortune 500 company with over 200 stores in the Carolinas. Last year, after Oilers supervisors learned that he occasionally cross-dresses off the job, he was fired. By terminating Oiler because he did not conform to the company’s stereotyped notions of how a man ought to look and act, Winn- Dixie violated state and federal laws that bar sex discrimination, the ACLU con tends. “Peter Oiler fol lowed all company policies, never vio lated the dress code and, most impor- out as a transgender individual to close friends and family in 1996. “Anyone who isn’t clear on the connections between gay issues and transgender issues should have the opportunity to talk with Peter Oiler. They would hear him talk about what it was like to be 12 years old, doing housework after his mother was severely injured in an ac cident and being constantly called a sissy’ for it,” Middleton said. “They would hear him talk about how years later his coworkers at Winn- ■ Dixie realized he was different, assumed he must be gay, and whispered behind his back,” Middleton continued while he indicated that it sounded familiar to many in lesbian and gay communities. Oiler’s courage to speak out drew praise in his hometown. “Peter Oiler’s experience is rela tively “His termination strikes at the very core of why these civil rights laws exist... ” tantly, he did a good job and earned numerous promotions and raises,” said Jennifer Middleton, staff attorney at the ACLU Lesbian and Gay Rights Project. “His termination strikes at the very core of why these civil rights laws exist — to keep bigotry and bias out of employment decisions.” While existing legal precedent says that employers cannot force people to conform to rigid gender stereotypes, today’s lawsuit goes further by arguing that the bah on stereotyp ing protects gender-variant people. The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Louisiana, seeks unspecified damages as a result of lost wages and emotional distress. “I never expected Winn-Dixie to approve of my personal life or to punish me for it — I just never thought it had any bearing on how I do my job,” Oiler said. “Losing the job I’ve had for practically my entire adult life has been a difficult ordeal, and I’m grateful for the loving support of my wife and the transgender com munity in Louisiana that has stood by us stead fastly.” Oiler, who has been married for more than 23 years, has known since childhood that his gender identity is not stereotypically male, and cross-dresses to express his femininity. Like many people who are gender-variant in some way. Oiler was outcast earlier in life and conse quently kept his identity secret until coming common. What’s uncommon is that he is open and honest about who he is, and that he’s standing up to one of America’s largest corporations and demanding to be treated fairly,” said Joe Cook, Executive Director of the ACLU of Louisiana. The International Foundation for Gender Education estimates that 75 percent of cross dressers are heterosexual men, many of whom are married. Gender nonconformance occurs in people of different sexual orientations, mari- . tal statuses and sexes. “Most people defy gender stereotypes, some times subtly — like women who drive motor cycles or men who wear earrings — and some times more obviously, when it’s part of their deeply held gender identity” Middleton said. “In fact, quite a lot of anti-gay discrimination is rooted in gender-identity stereotyping.” Of the more than two dozen municipalities that bar transgender discrimination, some only allow off-the-job gender expression and others broadly prohibit gender stereotyping. An ordi nance recently passed in New Orleans protects crossdressing away from work, but the Winn- Dixie store that fired Oiler is located just out side that jurisdiction. In Oiler’s case against Winn-Dixie, he is rep resented by Middleton of the ACLU and by Ron Wilson, a leading civil rights attorney vol unteering on the case. Winn-Dixie will have a month to file a response to the lawsuit before additional court action is scheduled. T [Editors Note: The ACLU has said Oiler pre fers to be referred to using the masculine pronouns.] our free skin analysis is your skin's future. Combining our advanced training with Dermalogica’s innovative skin and body care formulations, we are able to restore your optimum skin health in a minimum of time. Smoother, softer, more supple skin. Experience the truly remarkable results only available from professional skin care. 1213 Thomas Avenue 704 335-0050 www.georgetownbodyworks.com Visit us today for a free skin analysis. 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