Bathroom bigotry against transgender students has been dealt another legal blow.
A federal appeals court in the Third Circuit has ruled in support of a southeastern Pennsylvania school district that protects the rights of transgender students to use bathrooms and locker rooms consistent with their gender identity.
The ruling continues a string of court victories supporting transgender students.
Related: Transgender students just won a huge federal court case
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The appeals court agreed with a lower court ruling in favor of the Boyertown School District and its transgender students. The ruling said the school-district policy “fosters an environment of inclusivity, acceptance and tolerance.”
To do otherwise, the appeals court said, would “very publicity brand all transgender students with a scarlet ‘T.’”
The group Alliance Defending Freedom had argued that transgender students were threatening the privacy of other students. But the appeals court took less than an hour to rule otherwise.
As have other decisions in favor of transgender students, the court applied federal Title IX to prohibit discrimination against transgender students.
Mara Keisling, executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality, hailed the ruling.
“Policies that exclude transgender students alienate some of our most vulnerable children and set a terrible model for their peers,” Keisling said in a statement.
“Anything short of giving transgender children the same rights as all students is not only illegal but immoral.”