David Schroer, a retired U.S. Army Special Forces commander, testified Tuesday in federal court against the Library of Congress, claiming he deserved a job even as he was undergoing surgery to look like a woman.
Schroer, who goes by Diane, said his job offer was withdrawn when he told his would-be supervisor about his surgery. The American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit in 2005 on Schroer's behalf. He is seeking the job and damages, which are capped at $300,000.
"Activists will no doubt attempt to use this case to lobby to have the nebulous concept of 'gender identity' added as a category meriting special protection under federal law," said Caleb H. Price, research analyst for Focus on the Family.
"Americans have no interest in seeing their tax dollars spent on ‘transgender’ individuals seeking to indulge their confusion — let alone the expenses involved in defending the Library of Congress’ sound decision not to hire Mr. Schroer."