A man is suing his employers in China's first transgender discrimination case

A 28-year-old Chinese man who was born a woman is suing his employers for discrimination, after he was fired for "not conforming to traditional notions" of gender.

The man, identified as Mr. C in some reports and Liu by Chinese papers, worked for Ciming Checkup, a medical services company, in south China's Guiyang as a sales person. He told a local paper that he had not disclosed his female gender when applying for the job, but noted that the company was aware of his "special gender situation."

He's suing because despite this, he was let go after a week and told that the company was not happy with his expression of gender and that he was dressed as a man, he said.

Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

He wants a week's salary and a public apology from Ciming.

C told The Global Times: "I am not doing this only for myself, but also for all those who might face employment discrimination, such as those who are pregnant or disabled."

This is believed to be the country's first transgender employment discrimination case, according to C's lawyer.

The company thought he was gay and his appearance "incompatible" with the firm's image.

The case was heard by an arbitration panel Monday, and its final decision will be announced by the end of April.

While the company reportedly insisted during the hearing that it fired C because they felt he was not "qualified" for the job, a Xinhua report in March quoted the company's human resources head saying that C was fired because the company thought he was gay and his appearance was "incompatible" with the firm's image.

The case comes amid growing awareness of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues in China, where society and the government have generally frowned on non-traditional expressions of gender and sexuality.

On Wednesday, a court in the central city of Changsha is scheduled to hold a hearing in the country's first same-sex marriage case.

Additional reporting by The Associated Press.

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