Background

Gavin Grimm was born on May 04, 1999, in Gloucester, Virginia. His parents are David Grimm and Deirdre Grimm.

Education

When Gavin was a freshman in high school, he came out as a transgender male. Gavin graduated Gloucester High School in June 2017.

Career

As part of his medical treatment for severe gender dysphoria, Gavin and his mother notified administrators of his male gender identity at the beginning of his sophomore year so that he could socially transition in all aspects of his life. With permission from school administrators, Gavin used the boys’ restroom for almost two months without any incident. But after receiving complaints from some parents and residents of Gloucester County, the school board adopted a new policy banning Gavin from using the boys’ restrooms on December 9, 2014, by a vote of 6-1, despite warnings from the ACLU.

The ACLU filed a federal lawsuit on Gavin’s behalf and filed a motion for preliminary injunction asking the court to rule in time for Gavin to be able to use the same restroom as other boys at Gloucester High School when classes resumed for the 2015-16 school year. The lawsuit argues the bathroom policy is unconstitutional under the Fourteenth Amendment and violates Title IX of the U.S. Education Amendments of 1972, a federal law prohibiting sex discrimination by schools.

The district court denied the injunction and dismissed Gavin’s claim under Title IX. That decision was appealed before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit and the lower court’s decision was overturned in August of 2016. Gloucester County School Board then asked the Supreme Court to take on the case and the Fourth Circuit’s order was stayed pending the Supreme Court’s decision about whether to take the case.

On October 28, 2016, the Supreme Court announced it will review the decision from the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals. Gavin’s case was set to be heard by the Supreme Court on March 28, 2017. But on March 5, the Supreme Court announced that it was sending Gavin's case back to the lower courts to be reconsidered in light of the Departments of Justice and Education rescinding of a Title IX guidance clarifying protections for transgender students.

Gavin graduated high school in June 2017—still unable to use the same restroom as other boys. On May 22, 2018, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia denied the school district's request to dismiss the case, agreed with the ACLU that the school violated the rights of transgender students under Title IX, and ordered a settlement conference.

Achievements

• 

  Gavin Grimm is an outstanding representative of the transgender right movement. He received the Village Voice Pride Award in 2017.
  
  In 2017, Gavin became one of Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the World.
  
  

Politics

Grimm is now focused on not just trans rights, but pushing people from becoming politically apathetic in general. “I think people need to get more involved and more politically aware,” he says. “Understand issues on a level that’s not superficial. Form opinions based on research and not headlines – you know, get your hands in it a little bot more and do what you can to advocate or exercise your political rights.”

Though Grimm was “disappointed and frustrated” by the Supreme Court’s recent decision on his case – and believes the rise of Trump bas brought on a “dangerous and regressive” era for LGBT rights in a larger sense – he seems optimistic about the future for trans people in America.

Views

Gavin supports LGBT rights.

Quotations: "I am elated to hear that I'll be able to attend my senior year of high school with my full rights restored."

"Now that the Fourth Circuit’s decision is final, I hope The Gloucester County School Board will finally do the right thing and let me go back to using the boys ’ restroom again."

Personality

Physical Characteristics: He is transgender.

Connections

Father:

David Grimm

Mother:

Deirdre Grimm

References

• Time Magazine (May 1, 2017/May 8, 2017) The 100 Most Influential People Riz Ahmed Cover