(The Lion) — An 83-year-old woman banned from her local YMCA pool after objecting to a male transgender employee being in the women’s locker room has settled her lawsuit for $65,000, calling it a “victory for common sense.”
Julie Jaman, a longtime member of the Mountain View Pool in Port Townsend, Washington, filed a federal lawsuit last year after being permanently barred from YMCA facilities for confronting a transgender employee supervising young girls in the female changing area.
“I never imagined that expressing concerns about the safety and privacy of women and girls would lead to me being shunned and banned,” Jaman said in a statement. “I’m grateful that justice has been served and that my voice was heard. This is a victory for common sense, women’s rights, and the right to speak the truth.”
The case, settled in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, alleged both the city and the Olympic Peninsula YMCA retaliated against Jaman for protected speech.
She will receive $65,000 and reimbursement for legal costs.
The YMCA also agreed to remove certain information about her from its website, which her attorneys say highlights the baselessness of the actions taken against her.
“This case was never just about one woman being banned from a publicly owned pool; it was about the fundamental right of every American to speak truth without fear of retaliation,” said Center for American Liberty CEO Mark Trammell. “Julie Jaman bravely stood her ground, endured attacks on her character, and today’s settlement affirms that government officials cannot silence dissenting voices through intimidation or retribution.”
Despite the payout, Jaman will remain banned from YMCA facilities, the city said.
“There is no change of status to the Plaintiff’s access to OPYMCA facilities,” a city statement noted. “This includes a permanent ban from all facilities owned or operated by the OPYMCA.”
The dispute began in July 2022 when Jaman confronted Clementine Adams, a transgender YMCA employee and camp counselor, who entered the women’s locker room with two young girls while Jaman was showering.
Jaman reportedly asked the employee: “Do you have a penis?” The employee replied, “None of your business.” Jaman responded: “Get out of here!”
Under the settlement, no party admitted liability. Both sides also agreed not to harass or knowingly make false statements about one another.
Port Townsend is a city of about 10,600 people around 60 miles northeast of Seattle.
