Erica Kay
Photo: David Webster
BOSTON, Mass.–On Wednesday February 20, 2013 attorneys for historical transgender personality and Civil Rights activist Erica Kay filed a gender discrimination lawsuit in the United States 11th Circuit Federal Court, Florida Northern District, in Panama City, Florida. Named as Defendants in the lawsuit are: The City of Panama City, Florida; City of Parker, Florida; Michael Rozier and Aaron Wilson.
Ms. Kay is represented by the law firm of Marie Mattox Law of Tallahassee, Florida. Marie Mattox is a leading Civil Rights Attorney who also filed the Notice of Intent to Sue on September 26, 2011. A Notice of Intent to Sue is required in Gender Discrimination lawsuits, and Plaintiffs must give 180 days’ notice before filing a lawsuit in court.
Ms. Kay’s nightmare began in September, 2007 when her gender identity surfaced on the internet in the form of old tabloid articles originally published in 1997-1998. The tabloid articles were allegedly filled with outrageous lies. With the ensuing panic, two clients in particular set out to destroy Ms.Kay by purportedly spreading those lies to the other clients of Bella Casa Interiors, Inc., an interior decorating company co-owned by Erica. Ms. Kay’s lawsuit can be found at: Kay v. City of Panama City, et. al.
In 2013 Ms. Kay will return to Washington, D.C. to continue lobbying for fully inclusive equal human rights for all American citizens through the EHRA: Equal Human Rights Act. Ms. Kay recently stated, “Currently transgender citizens in the United States are the least protected of all classes. All Americans deserve full protection under the law, and until Federal Legislation is signed into law by the President, individual States can pass laws that discriminate against their own citizens, including Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender people.”
Ms. Kay is currently writing an autobiographical book that is an inspirational story of her rise from the ashes, and her courage and great strength in the face of discrimination, harassment and abuse. A movie screenplay based on her book is also under way. Ms. Kay was recently quoted in an interview stating, “I have stared into the eyes of the Demon Prejudice, and now this is my Rosa Parks moment in the Civil Rights Movement that seeks Equality for All Americans.”
Ms. Kay is the originator of The Foundation For International Justice, a 501(c)3 non-profit foundation that is being formed to provide safe housing for homeless transgender youth, which will foster a positive and loving home environment, provide trans-specific counseling, medical care, appropriate clothing, education, and a healthy life, so that our thrown-away youth can have the same opportunity to pursue their dreams that most other Americans already have. The Foundation will also create educational materials on the Transgender Birth Condition and will advocate for Human Rights Legislation in every country on Earth.
On March 3, 2012 Erica Kay and David Webster were married and they currently reside on Cape Cod in Massachusetts, where they are actively involved in politics, PFLAG, and the LGBT Aging Project.
[From a News Release]
