A transgender truck driver forced to leave her job because of harassment has won a sex discrimination case in the UK. Vikki-Marie Gaynor of Wallasey said that her troubles began when she arrived for work wearing make-up and jewellery.

She began working for Exel, part of the DHL delivery firm, as Mike Gaynor in October 2006. Last year, she told her bosses that she intended to become a woman.

It was then, Ms Gaynor argued, her bosses began cancelling her shifts and she was subjected to taunts from colleagues, including offensive gestures at her at traffic lights and her belongings and make-up being stolen from her lorry.

Weeks later, Ms Gaynor quit and began proceedings against Exel and the Blue Arrow recruitment agency, through which she won the job.

The tribunal found DHL discriminated against her by removing her usual run, but Blue Arrow did not “aid or abet”.

But it found Blue Arrow did discriminate against Ms Gaynor in the way it handled her grievance complaints.

It will be some time before compensation is agreed on.
Ms Gaynor said, “It has been a year of hell. I have been assaulted twice: I lost two teeth, had six stitches and had a broken finger.

“Hopefully, this action will stop this happening to other people.”
 

By Kathryn Goldie