Yesterday, the Missouri Supreme Court heard oral arguments in two cases posing the question of whether the prohibition on "sex" discrimination in the state's civil rights laws includes discrimination on the basis of gender identity or sexual orientation. The first case, R.M.A. v. Blue Springs R-IV School District (audio of full arguments), involves discrimination claims by a middle school student who was born a female but transitioned to male, who has not been allowed by his school to use the boy's rest rooms or locker room. Because of his female genitalia, the school required him to use a unisex bathroom.
The second case, Lampley v. Missouri Commission on Human Rights (audio of full arguments), Harold Lampley, a state department of social services employee, alleged discrimination and retaliation because he is gay and does not exhibit stereotypical attributes of male appearance and behavior. A second employee alleged discrimination and retaliation because of her association with Lampley.
The Missouri Supreme Court's Docket Summaries page includes more information on the cases and links to briefs (including amicus briefs) filed in each case case [scroll down to SC96683 and SC 96828. AP reports on the oral arguments.
