Los Angeles LGBT Center Hit With Sexual Discrimination Suit

LOS ANGELES, CA — A former security guard for the Los Angeles LGBT Center sued the organization Tuesday, alleging she was harassed and discriminated against while working there in 2018.

Dia Sablania's Los Angeles Superior Court lawsuit alleges nine causes of action, including gender identity discrimination, retaliation and failure to prevent harassment.

A representative for the non-profit LGBT Center did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

Sablania worked for the organization for about four months, according to the suit. She was born a male and has been "socially transitioned as a female for several years," for which she was regularly harassed and discriminated against because of her perceived sexual and transgender orientations, the suit states. She was often asked if she was a man, if she removed her male sex organ and if she had transgender surgery, the suit alleges.

"Plaintiff was told to just accept that she will always be a man," the suit states. "Plaintiff was told to just be honest with herself and admit she is gay."

The harassment of Sablania continued even after she agreed to work the graveyard shift, normally a two-person job, by herself to escape further mistreatment, the suit states.

Then center denied Sablania a request for a shorter work week when her doctor diagnosed her with hormone problems and diabetes, the suit states. She tried to take vacation time instead, but that request also was denied and she was fired two days later, according to the suit.

Prior to her firing, Sablania was "a solid employee and had no writeups or documented counseling," the suit states. Yet, the center never investigated any of her complaints, spoke to witnesses or tried to get her full version of events, the suit states.

"Instead, they allowed the harassment and discrimination to continue up to the date of termination," the suit states.

City News Service