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Meagan Taylor, a Black transgender woman, and her best friend, who is also Black and transgender, checked into the Drury Inn, a hotel in West Des Moines, Iowa, on July 13, 2015 while traveling from Illinois to Kansas City for a funeral. Despite the fact that she and her friend had made reservations and that she was a regular patron of Drury Hotels, the pair were sent a clear message that they were not welcome. Before finalizing the check-in, the front desk clerk 鈥� at the request of the general manager 鈥� asked to make a copy of Meagan鈥檚 ID even though they had already processed payment and checked her ID once. Like many transgender people, Meagan has not been able to update the name and gender on her ID so the identification listed her birth name and gender.

At some point between Meagan鈥檚 check-in and 8:30 the next morning, the Drury Inn staff called the police to report that they suspected Meagan and her friend were engaging in prostitution because they were 鈥渕en dressed like women.鈥�

Under Iowa鈥檚 civil rights law, race, sex, gender identity, and sexual orientation are among characteristics protected from discrimination by public accommodations. The law also defines gender identity as 鈥渁 gender-related identity of a person, regardless of the person鈥檚 assigned sex at birth.鈥�

As a result of the Drury鈥檚 discrimination against her, Meagan was arrested and charged with possessing her hormone pills without a copy of the prescription鈥攚hich charges were dismissed. There was never evidence of prostitution, and she was never charged with it. After arrest, she was held for eight days in Polk County Jail before being bonded out, never making it to the funeral in Kansas City that she was traveling to attend.

In her complaint, Meagan said of the experience, 鈥淭his ordeal was humiliating, scary and traumatizing. I felt powerless and degraded. I realized I was not welcome in a public place simply because of who I am.鈥�

Amber Shanahan-Fricke and David Goldman of the Des Moines law firm of Babich Goldman, P.C. are 老澳门开奖结果 of Iowa co-operating attorneys in the case.

UPDATE (6/28/16): Meagan鈥檚 complaint has been settled to the satisfaction of the parties.