Ken Paxton Sues Biden Over Transgender Workplace Guidelines

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has initiated a second lawsuit against the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Justice Department, challenging the agency's recent guidelines that extend workplace protections to transgender individuals. Filed on Thursday, the lawsuit contends that the EEOC's definitions of harassment include prohibitions against denying employees access to bathrooms that correspond with their gender identity, as well as the use of preferred pronouns and attire. Paxton argues that these guidelines misinterpret Title VII's provisions against sexual harassment. In the lawsuit, Paxton asserts that the EEOC's stance on what constitutes harassment is fundamentally flawed. He emphasizes that the right to be free from sexual harassment should not be viewed as an "accommodation" for certain employees, suggesting that the agency's approach unfairly privileges some individuals over others. The lawsuit claims that the EEOC's actions infringe upon Texas's authority to establish its own workplace policies. Paxton, who is collaborating with the Heritage Foundation on this legal action, accuses the Biden-Harris Administration of attempting to alter federal law through what he describes as "undemocratic and illegal agency action." He argues that the EEOC is being used to impose "transgender mandates" on private businesses and states, prompting Texas to take legal action to prevent this. This lawsuit follows a previous attempt by Paxton to challenge the EEOC's guidance, which was dismissed by U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, who indicated that a new complaint would be necessary for further proceedings.