A transgender man who identifies as non-binary and genderqueer filed a federal lawsuit against his employer and union after they denied top surgery was merely cosmetic.
“This lawsuit is about my control over my own body,” said Morgan Mesi at a media briefing in Chicago, Illinois.
Mesi claimed to suffer from extreme distress and suicidal thoughts over gender dysphoria after the surgery was denied.
“A board of trustees who have never even met me should not be the ones deciding if my gender-affirming health care is a medical necessity," Mesi added. "That decision should be between me and my doctors.”
Mesi worked as a sales employee at Tenzing Wine & Spirits, LLC and Breakthru Beverage Illinois, LLC, both in the Chicago area.
The lawsuit accuses his employer and the union of violating federal and state laws forbidding discrimination on the basis of gender identity. It claims that they reuled
"Access to gender affirming healthcare is life-saving. It's why I stand here before you today," said Mesi. "It saved my life. But the defendants in this lawsuit discriminated against me by denying me access to this deeply necessary healthcare."
A profile for Mesi on "Qwear Media" described Mesi as a "trans, nonbinary, and genderqueer model seeking to bring visibility to the trans community."
While some states have moved to institute laws against the political demands of the transgender movement, Illinois is one of the few that has passed laws to defend transgender rights.
“The Governor is proud to support legislation that creates a more welcoming, affirming, and inclusive Illinois,” said a spokesperson for Democrat Gov. J.B Pritzker in May after the legislature passed pro-trans laws.
“In the face of rising violence and bigotry toward the trans, nonbinary, and gender non-conforming community, providing support and recognition for those who identify as LGBTQ+ has never been more important,” he added.
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