Justice Department To Honor Transgender Teen Gavin Grimm At Pride Event

A group of LGBT employees at the Department of Justice plans to honor transgender teen Gavin Grimm at the agency's annual Pride Event.

DOJ Pride will recognize Grimm's advocacy with its Gerald B. Roemer Community Service Award at the agency's annual Pride Month Program in its main building on June 28^th, BuzzFeed News reported.

Grimm, who came out in his sophomore year and graduated earlier this month, challenged his Virginia high school's policy that prohibits transgender students such as himself from using the bathroom of their choice. Grimm's lawyers argue that the policy violates federal civil rights laws.

The Supreme Court agreed to hear the case but sent it back to a lower court after the Trump administration revoked Obama-era guidance – which was backed by the Department of Justice – to public schools protecting transgender students.

When asked on Thursday about the plan to honor Grimm, Attorney General Jeff Sessions spoke positively to staff.

“We are going to have a pride group, in this very room, I think next week, I believe it is, and so that's perfectly appropriate,” Sessions said in response to an intern. “And we will protect and defend and celebrate that – and protect the rights of all transgender persons.”