Izza Lopez Case Settled

I wrote about the Izza Lopez case back home in which a transwoman had a 2005 job offer rescinded by River Oaks Imaging after they discovered she was a transwoman.

Lopez claimed the job was pulled when the employer found out she is transgender, something that she didn't hide during the application process. River Oaks Imaging said the offer was withdrawn because she presented herself as a woman and that was a lie because she 'really was a man'.

After going through court-ordered mediation, a settlement was reached on Wednesday.

"I can tell you the case has been resolved to the mutual satisfaction of both parties," said Lambda Legal spokesman Jason Howe. Lambda Legal (a GLBT organization that HRC could learn from) represented Lopez.

River Oaks Imaging lawyer Howard Dulmage said Thursday that he cannot discuss the settlement but that the parties agreed to mutually resolve their differences.

This case is a prime example of the fact that my hometown needs to step up to the plate and amend city ordinances to protect transgender Houstonians. It's an embarrassment to me as a native Houstonian that H-town doesn't protect transgender peeps rights except for city of Houston employment only, and Dallas and Austin are part of the ever expanding list of 90 cities and municipalities that do.

Hopefully Mayor White and the Houston City Council will do the right thing and take steps to rectify this situation.