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Mathis family on discrimination lawsuit: Coy's body development is no one's business, we need to protect her
The story of six-year-old Coy Mathis has captured the nation's attention. Her parents, Jeremy and Kathryn, have filed a lawsuit against a Colorado school district due to the school no longer allowing Coy to use the female restroom at her school. Coy was born with male sex organs but identifies herself as female, and had been previously allowed to use her school's girls' bathrooms.
Jeremy, Kathryn and Coy talk with Soledad on "Starting Point" this morning to explain the move to sue the school district.
"We actually have no idea what caused them to go from being so accepting to her, to completely change, and start discriminating against her. We never had any issues with other classmates or any parents at all," Kathryn says.
The school claims it was accommodating Coy, and now wants her to use the boy’s bathroom, the staff bathroom, or the bathroom in the nurse’s office located on the other side of the school. According to the lawsuit, the district attorney for the school, W. Kelly Dude, claims that as Coy's body develops in the years to come, her use of the girls' restroom will make some students and parents uncomfortable.
"The immediate problem with that is we're not in middle school yet, we're not in high school yet, and they're punishing a six-year-old for something that hasn't happened, and may not happen. Her body development is none of their business. That's up to her and her doctors in the future. That's not something we're at right now, and right now we need to be protecting a six-year-old not a middle schooler or a high schooler," Kathryn says.
Coy's father Jeremy stands firmly that the school is discriminating against his daughter, and he feels that the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act applies to Coy. The act reads, "Places of public accommodation may not deny any person participation, entry or services based upon the person's sexual orientation or transgender status."
Jeremy believes that the school is “in fact discriminating… I know they state they have been accommodating, but what they're doing is discriminating, forcing her to use a separate bathroom from all the rest of the kids or forcing a little girl to go in the boys' room, and that's not okay."
Currently, Coy is being homeschooled until this matter is resolved.
See an extended version of the interview in the clip below.
Chaz Bono on updated release of his book 'Transition,' gives fans insider perspective on 'Dancing with the Stars'
The world first new Chaz Bono as Chastity, the adorable two-year-old daughter of Sonny Bono and Cher. But as Chaz grew up, he knew something wasn't quite right. He was angry, confused and turned to painkillers to deal with his personal struggles.
In his first book, which is called "Family Outing," Chaz writes about coming out as a lesbian. The next book, "Transition: The Story of How I Became a Man," talks about identifying as a transgendered man. Now he is claiming his life as a man in called "Transition: Becoming Who I Was Always Meant To Be."
Chaz Bono talks with Soledad on "Starting Point" this morning, sharing how difficult his transition was for his family and also sharing a bit of what it was really like to perform on ABC's "Dancing with the Stars."
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