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US Judge Dismisses Lawsuit Over Transgender Pronoun Dispute
By: Associated Press
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PORTSMOUTH, Ohio (AP) — A judge has dismissed a professor’s lawsuit against a small, public university in Ohio that rebuked him for not addressing a transgender student using the student’s preferred gender terms.
Nicholas Meriwether’s federal lawsuit alleged that Shawnee State University officials violated his rights by compelling him to speak in a way that contradicts his Christian beliefs.
The school contended such language was part of his job responsibilities, not speech protected by the First Amendment.
A federal judge agreed that the manner in which Meriwether addressed the student wasn’t protected under the First Amendment.
A message seeking comment was left Monday for Alliance Defending Freedom, which represented Meriwether.