On his Larry King Live interview tonight, Steve Stanton announced that he will not sue the City of Largo. He had previously indicated that he would find such a lawsuit "like suing my mother," but there was widespread speculation that he could succeed in such a lawsuit. Appearing with his attorney, Karen Doering, of the National Center for Lesbian Rights, Stanton spoke very candidly and openly about his experience, describing his early knowledge of the condition, his marriage and a planned separation, his love for his son and his son's love for him, the difficulty of the personal reactions from some of the City Commissioners, and the support from unexpected sources. He indicated that he expected to transition in the next 30-60 days, and would look in the future to continue work as a city manager.
Ms. Doering provided some useful comments about her organization's experience with and support for transsexuals transitioning in the workplace. She noted that many people have transitioned successfully in the workplace, and that Steve's communication plan would likely have succeeded in allowing him to transition without losing effectiveness as city manager, except for the fact that his plans were disclosed early by a newspaper.
I thought the interview provided a very useful, if brief, education for many people who have never seen or heard a transsexual, demonstrating that this is an ordinary human being with the usual feelings and concerns, although extraordinary circumstances.
Here's the transcript.
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