A Eastvale transgender Army veteran has settled a civil rights lawsuit against a Rancho Cucamonga barbershop that refused to cut women’s hair.

Kendall Oliver alleged that The Barbershop denied the haircut because the owner perceived Oliver to be female.

Richard Hernandez, who owns the Milliken Avenue business, said his Christian religious beliefs barred him from cutting women’s hair.

Hernandez, an Ontario resident, admitted breaking the law and discriminating against Oliver, according to a settlement agreement signed by both sides that represents “a fair and reasonable resolution” of the case.

The settlement requires The Barbershop to serve all customers.

Oliver, who could not be reached for comment, sued in May in San Bernardino County Superior Court, alleging that Hernandez violated California’s Unruh Civil Rights Act by refusing service. The law guarantees all people full and equal access to all business establishments in the state without regard to their sex, race, religion and other characteristics.

Oliver was born as a female but identifies more male than female. In adulthood, Oliver came to terms with being transgender. As a self-description, Oliver uses gender-neutral pronouns such as “they” rather than “she” or “he.”

The lawsuit was settled in January and announced Wednesday, Feb. 1, by Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, a Los Angeles-based organization that advocates for LGBT people and represented Oliver.

“I’m glad this is over and that the business has promised not to do to others what it did to me,” Oliver, who grew up in Ontario and has served about seven years in the Army Reserve, said in a news release from Lambda Legal.

Hernandez declined comment, as did Brad Dacus, president of the Pacific Justice Institute, a Sacramento-based conservative legal organization that represented him.

Hernandez, who belongs to the Church of God, said he was following a practice of not cutting women’s hair that was customary in Christian denominations until the early 20th Century.

When Oliver arrived at The Barbershop for a March 8 appointment, Hernandez perceived Oliver as female and told Oliver he doesn’t cut women’s hair, the lawsuit stated.

Oliver left and a few minutes later called Hernandez to explain about being transgender and identifying more as male than female. Hernandez again refused and said he wouldn’t cut the hair of “any kind of woman,” the suit stated.

The situation caused Oliver to feel “more insulted, hurt and upset,” the suit states.

Hernandez has said he apologized to Oliver and offered to reimburse the cost of a haircut. He said he did nothing wrong and treated Oliver with “the utmost respect.”

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