Amber Yust Settles Her Suit Against The California DMV And Thomas Demartini

Remember Amber Yust? She was the transgender woman who, following California's DMV policy, went to change her name and drivers license gender marker -- only to later receive a letter from the DMV employee who processed her request telling her that she made a "very evil decision." Amber sued both the DMV -- and the DMV Clerk Thomas Demartini -- and the case has now settled. From the San Francisco Chronicle's Transgender Woman Settles DMV Suit: A transgender woman who went to the Department of Motor Vehicles in San Francisco to record her sex change - and then got a letter from a DMV clerk saying homosexual acts were "an abomination that leads to hell" - will receive a $55,000 legal settlement, her lawyers said Monday. Attorneys said Amber Yust's settlement includes $40,000 from the state and $15,000 from Thomas Demartini, who was suspended with pay by the DMV shortly after the incident and quit his job in December. "This suit promotes the privacy rights of all Californians by ensuring that confidential information retained by our government stays confidential," said attorney Christopher Dolan, who filed the Superior Court case in December. The Transgender Law Center is also playing a part: The department also agreed to work with the Transgender Law Center on staff training, said Kristina Wertz, legal director of the center. Good for Amber; and good for California's trans community. We trans Californians deserve government employees that doesn't harass or discriminate against its trans citizens. Amber Yust is a hero of mine for standing up to abuse at the hands of a DMV employee, and then creating a positive outcome not just for her, but for her whole community. ~~~~ Related: * Transphobia As An Apparent Government Function * California DMV Employee Tells Trans Woman In Letter She's Made A "Very Evil Decision" * Amber Yust Suing California DMV -- And DMV Ex-Employee Thomas Demartini * CNN: DMV Employee Resigns Over Letter Condemning Customer To Hell

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