Seattle-area blood bank sued by transgender woman

SEATTLE (AP) — A transgender woman has filed a federal discrimination lawsuit against a Seattle-based blood bank saying she was fired after changing her donor profile to female to match her reissued birth certificate.

In the lawsuit filed last week in U.S. District court in Tacoma, Stephanie Binschus alleges Bloodworks Northwest treated her differently from other employees even though she made sure the company was fully aware of her transition.

Binschus was a long-time donor to the organization formerly known as the Puget Sound Blood Center before her transition and before becoming an employee. Her attorney says she was accused of falsifying her donor record after the organization changed its policy on gender identification.

Attorney Jillian T. Weiss says being fired because you say you are a woman and your employer doesn't agree is a violation of state and federal law.

The blood bank said it could not comment on the lawsuit.