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| Leave OK'd for Officer Who is Transvestite |
| By Allentown Morning Call |
| Published: 06/02/2003 |
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A male Carbon County (Pa.) Prison officer who legally changed his name to Nancy and is living as a woman has been put on administrative leave, and county commissioners argued Thursday over whether it was fair to pay for the time off. Officer Nancy Stevens' administrative leave confounded Commissioner Thomas Gerhard, who said other county employees do not have the same benefits. ''It is just wrong,'' Gerhard said. Nevertheless, commissioners Thursday voted 2-1, with Gerhard against, to approve the leave agreement the between county, Stevens and the Teamsters Union Local 773, which represents the officers. Stevens, who as Charles Tertel worked at the prison since 1988, said in an interview after the meeting that she expected to hear from the county Friday on when she will return to work. Stevens did not attend the meeting. She said she has undergone medication and hormonal therapies for a little more than a year, but has not had a sex change operation and said she may not because of her age. She is 49. She legally changed her name April 3 in Schuylkill County Court, and the next day the county put her on administrative leave for four weeks to resolve what Stevens referred to as ''legal questions.'' Neither the county nor Stevens would comment on the legal questions involved. She was on paid leave until May 7, after which she agreed to use her vacation days, which ran out Thursday. The prison houses only male inmates, but has female officers who interact with prisoners. Stevens said she understands there will be curiosity from inmates upon her reinstatement, but said she does not feel it will be a factor in her effectiveness as a prison officer. ''We are here to do a job, we are not here to dance in a showbar,'' Stevens said. Stevens said the county has been nothing but helpful and understanding of the situation. Gerhard said that as a member of the prison board he was the only one to vote against her leave, and has voted against its ratification twice since. ''It is a discrimination,'' he said. ''It was four paid weeks leave for doing nothing.'' |
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