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Diane Schroer: Congratulations On Your Contribution To Transgender Rights!
 The Axiom Of Respect September 19, 2008, "Diane Schroer won her federal lawsuit against the Library of Congress after officials backed out of a 2005 job offer when told of her intention to become a transsexual." ("Transsexual Wins Lawsuit Against Library Of Congress") Schroer, born physically male, was "a onetime Army Special Forces commander" and before transitioning had interviewed for "a position as a senior terrorism research analyst." According to U.S. District Court Judge James Robinson, "The evidence established that the Library was enthusiastic about hiring David Schroer -- until she disclosed her transsexuality. The Library revoked the offer when it learned that a man named David intended to become, legally, culturally and physically, a woman named Diane. This was discrimination 'because of ... sex.'" In a statement after the ruling, Diane said, "I knew all along that the 25 years of experience I gained defending our country didn't disappear when I transitioned, so it was hard to understand why I was being turned down for a job doing what I do best just because I'm transgender. It is tremendously gratifying to have your faith in this country, and what is fundamentally right and fair, be reaffirmed." This ruling is a wonderful step forward for the rights and equality of transgender men and women, who are frequently subject to abuse, hate, and discrimination simply for being who they are. Transsexualism is misunderstood by the majority of our society, and a great deal of prejudice is caused by the misguided notion that individuals choose to be transgender. On the contrary, gender dysphoria and transsexuality are absolutely not a choice, and these conditions typically cause a great deal of stress and harm to the transgender person's self-image. The suicide rate for transgender individuals is incredibly high: It is estimated that "approximately 30% to 50% of persons who identify as transsexual do not live past the age of 30, mostly because of suicide." ("A Brief Introduction To The Transgender Experience") There is more and more research proving that transsexulism is a medical, not psychological, condition in which the physical sex of the body does not match the gender of the brain. ("What Causes Transsexualism?") For an excellent resource on this topic, please see: "Transsexual Road Map." Magna Sententia insists that individuals treat all others respectfully, and this includes the LGBT Community. Thank you Diane for your service to our country, and congratulations on your "important victory for transgenders claiming bias in the workplace." You are paving the way for transgender equality! Anna and Ellie Sherise
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