Nikki Brar, an eight year old Indian-American transgender girl and her family are suing a school over gender identity.

Nikki Brar, who was designated as male at the time of birth, was a student at heritage Oak Private education in Yorba Linda. The Law suit alleges that the school violated the Unruh Civil Rights Act, Which outlaws discrimination based on sexual orientation or sex.

The school didn’t allow Nikki brar to wear a girl’s uniform or use girls loo or be called as ‘she’. school said that “this move would create an imbalance in schools environment”, said the report.

The lawsuit stated that “Nikki has faced social isolation in school as girl’s would not play with her as she is dressed like a boy and boy’s game was too tough for her and often boys would bully her calling a loser”.

Nikki left the school in February 2017.

This case is note worthy because it is “first transgender rights case to use a state anti discrimination law as one of the grounds for relief” said Mark Rosenbaum, Director of the pro Bono public counsel opportunity under law.

He also said that “In the light of the Trump’s administration against trans gender individuals, this is a terribly important case”.

Nikki Brar parents have filed the suit against the school , its executive director Phyllis cygan and the school’s parent group, Nobel learning communities. They seek damages for “emotional distress and discrimination” as well as school tuition and fees.

They have also asked the school to write a non discrimination policy specially for trans gender students, and demanded that school teach transgender identity lessons in the classroom.

The child’s mother has said that the family thought long and hard before filling the law suit,” It honors our child’s commitment to being who she is despite adversity”. it is our small contribution towards ensuring that other transgender and gender expansive children do not go through the same hardship and trauma.

The school parents group Nobel Learning Communities released a statement following the law suit saying “ We believed it was extremely important to respond, to decide when and how to inform and educate our entire elementary community about the mid year change of gender identity expression of a young child, unfortunately, these accommodations were rejected and parents withdraw their child”.

Nikki Brar is expected to join a public school in orange country this year.

By A.s