SPRING ARBOR, Mich. (AP) - Julie Nemecek has long, manicured fingernails and wears a blond wig, makeup and dangling earrings.
She's also legally a man.
Julie, formerly John, says she gained a lot emotionally after starting to live openly as a woman in recent years - cross-dressing, getting hormone therapy and, a week ago, legally changing her name. But she lost something as well: her job.
Spring Arbor University, a small, evangelical Christian school 75 miles west of Detroit, fired the 55-year-old associate professor earlier this week after a 15-month dispute over Nemecek's transgender lifestyle. It previously had decided not to renew Nemecek's contract after the spring semester, citing conduct that's "inconsistent with the Christian faith."
An ordained Baptist minister who once led churches in Chicago and Grand Rapids, Nemecek attends church regularly with her wife of 35 years, Joanne. Nemecek is legally a male and doesn't plan to have a sex-change operation, partly to continue the marriage.
The school isn't saying much publicly because Nemecek, who wants the job back and damages for pain and suffering, filed a sex discrimination complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. A mediation hearing is scheduled Tuesday in Detroit.
In a recent statement, the school said: "Our curriculum integrates faith in all aspects of our liberal arts education, and we expect our faculty to model Christian character as an example for our students."
The school, which is affiliated with the Free Methodist Church, says her transgender lifestyle violates its employment qualifications. It will pay Nemecek through the end of the academic year.
Nemecek says Spring Arbor has retained gay or divorced employees, despite stances against homosexuality and divorce, but she suspects there's concern because of biblical passages such as Deuteronomy 22:5. It says men who wear women's clothing are an abomination to God. Transgender people often are included with the traditional biblical view condemning gay relationships, Nemecek adds.
"You can prove almost anything if you take a handful of verses and pull them out of context," Nemecek said in an interview at the couple's condo in Spring Arbor, a community of 2,200 outside Jackson. "If I lived as other people saw my body, it would be at the expense of my head and my heart and my soul. I just can't do that and live a life of integrity and peace."
Nemecek says she knew about her gender issue since childhood but chose to hide it, not understanding what "it" was. Nemecek thought wanting to be feminine would go away after getting married. But as John, he occasionally cross-dressed on trips and kept it from his family.
After the Nemeceks' three grown sons moved out, John started researching gender issues in 2003. He was diagnosed with gender identity disorder, decided he could no longer live a lie and told his shocked wife.
Joanne, 55, didn't know if she could stay in the marriage, especially when John wanted to transition further into living as a woman. She thought John's lifestyle was sinful but eventually changed her mind after learning more about his condition.
"The person I love and care about the most is Julie. This is the right thing to do. I gave up the fight," said Joanne, who sometimes catches herself referring to Julie as "he" or "him." Julie says she's attracted sexually to Joanne. Continue >>
RSS
I think he has the right to work for the school all MCC churches are open and affirming churches so why can't he work there i think he has the right. some churches are opening up to LBGTQ community because they no longer want the burden of hating them