If dealing with the personal struggles of being different isn’t enough, life for trans people becomes even more unfairly difficult when they are discriminated against for existing. A transgender tenant in Florida experienced such unjust treatment when they received a sudden email from their building’s management board that stated they needed to move out. In a list of banned legal statuses, the email states that “individuals whose legal identification does not match their sex at birth” are no longer permitted to rent or occupy the building.
The reason for this sudden transphobic decision was to “uphold the safety and well-being of all residents,” according to the landlord. “I feel target,” the Florida tenant laments. “I am the only trans person that I know of in this building,” and “I’ve been living here for over 3 years.” They go on to clarify that they are able to pass off as cisgender, but management still knows they are trans. “I’m surrounded by conservatives and MAGA, but I’ve kept my head low,” they protest. Not to mention, moving out will be “very hard” financially for them.
The other legal statuses that the email says are prohibited from living in the building are individuals who are not U.S. citizens, those with criminal records, registered sex offenders or potential sex offenders, and prostitutes. “Prohibiting all immigrants is clear national-origin discrimination and banning “potential sex offenders”?… sounds like code for ‘anybody I don’t like.'” remarks a commenter on the Florida tenant’s Reddit post. “You can’t fight this alone,” says another user. They urge the tenant to call the ACLU or another anti-discrimination pro bono organization to help them with their cause.
Several more commenters encourage the evicted renter to contact the ACLU ASAP. “Contact every LGBT rights organization you can think of,” a person adds. “If they actually go through with this, you could have a winning Supreme Court case on your hands.” Hundreds more agree that “this [case] is too big to fight alone.”
Transphobic and bigoted landlord or not, discrimination against tenants based on sex violates the Fair Housing Act, which also protects trans people, according to documentation. While this situation has definitely traumatized this transperson mentally and emotionally, hopefully, they will get the help they need to put up a fight against their unreasonable eviction.
