PHILADELPHIA - An androgynous person with a beard who uses she/her pronouns is suing after she says she was mistreated during orientation at a Philadelphia nursing home.
A Jane Doe filed a lawsuit Jan. 23 against multiple entities related to Philadelphia's Maplewood Nursing Home and Bedrock Care Group. The case was lodged in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
Doe says in the suit that she identifies as androgynous and prefers "she/her" pronouns.
"Plaintiff has a visible beard," she adds.
Doe was offered a nurse position at Maplewood in 2023 and attended a two-day orientation in September, during which a nursing educator referred to the group of new hires as "guys" despite six females and one male were in the group.
"Plaintiff let the issue go of being referred to as a 'guy,' when she is androgynous, in the hope that this would not continue on the second day," the lawsuit says.
It happened again on the second day, and Doe replied that it was illegal to misgender her.
The nursing educator replied that it was not the place for political stances, the suit says. After another back-and-forth, Doe says she was fired "on account of discrimination and in retaliation for Plaintiff's protected conduct/activity."
The defendants named in the suit include Maplewood Nursing Home, Maplewood Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Maplewood Operating LLC, Maplewood Nursing and Rehabilitation Center PA, L.P., PA Nursing Home GP, LLC, Bedrock Care, Bedrock Care Group, and Bedrock Care Consulting Services.
The plaintiff is represented by attorney Justin Robinette. The complaint alleges that these organizations violated federal laws and engaged in unlawful employment practices.