BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD) – A 13-year-old transgender boy from Berkeley County who claims he was punished for using the boys’ bathroom at school is now suing over a state budget rule that prohibits transgender students from using accommodations that correspond with their gender identity.
The lawsuit, first reported by NBC News, was filed Tuesday in federal court on behalf of John Doe, a pseudonym for an eighth-grade student. It names the Berkeley County School District, the state of South Carolina, and the South Carolina Department of Education, as defendants.
The complaint alleges that school administrators told Doe in August that he could not use the boys’ restroom and would instead have to use the girls’ restroom or a single-occupancy restroom in the nurse’s office.
“John explained that it would be very upsetting for him to use the girls’ restroom, which is inconsistent with his male gender identity, and that other students would likely feel uncomfortable as well, since he is and looks like a boy,” the complaint states. “Further, he explained that using the nurse’s restroom would single him out and put a target on his back for harassment.”