Aimee Stephens, Transgender Plaintiff at Center of Historic Pending SCOTUS Case, Has Died at 59

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Aimee Stephens, Transgender Plaintiff at Center of Historic Pending SCOTUS Case, Has Died at 59

Aimee Stephens, the plaintiff at the center of the U.S. Supreme Court’s first case involving transgender rights, has died at 59. Stephens’s case was argued before SCOTUS with two other LGBTQ rights cases in October, but the court has not yet ruled. Stephens’s death will not affect the case’s status.

The New York Times reports: “She died from complications related to kidney failure, according to the American Civil Liberties Union, which represented Ms. Stephens. Ms. Stephens had been on dialysis for some time and entered hospice care in late April, according to the A.C.L.U. Donna Stephens, Aimee Stephens’s wife, thanked supporters in a statement for their ‘kindness, generosity, and keeping my best friend and soul mate in your thoughts and prayers.’”

More than anything, this is what we hope you’ll listen to today: Aimee Stephens’ fight for trans rights, the moment she realized how many people were behind her in this fight, and why we should never give up, in her own words. pic.twitter.com/iNxDtM37EP

— ACLU (@ACLU) May 12, 2020

The ACLU on Stephens’ case: “Aimee Stephens had worked for nearly six years as a funeral director at R.G. and G.R. Harris Funeral Homes when she informed the funeral home’s owner that she is a transgender woman. Her employer fired her, and the EEOC sued on her behalf. The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Aimee’s employer engaged in unlawful sex discrimination when it fired her because she’s transgender. R.G. & G.R. Harris Funeral Homes is asking the Supreme Court to review the case. The ACLU represents Aimee Stephens.”

.@DrBiden and I are saddened to learn of the passing of Aimee Stephens. We send our deepest condolences to her wife, Donna, and her family. Aimee’s spirit and courage will not only be her legacy but our guiding light as we carry on her fight for equality. t.co/F9cAnGh6VC

— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) May 12, 2020

The LGBTQ community owes Aimee Stephens our deepest gratitude for her bravery in standing up for the right of LGBTQ people to live as ourselves. We share our condolences with all of her friends & family, and especially her wife, Donna Stephens. t.co/wbMJpMgERu

— Alphonso David (@AlphonsoDavid) May 12, 2020

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