CNN reports that a transgender first-grader who was born a boy but identifies as a girl has won the right to use the girls’ restroom at her Colorado school. The Colorado Rights Division ruled in favor of Coy Mathis in her fight against the Fountain-Fort Carson School District. Coy’s parents had taken her case to the commission after the district said she could no longer use the girls bathroom at Eagleside Elementary. In issuing its decision, the state’s rights division said keeping the ban in place “creates an environment that is objectively and subjectively hostile, intimidating or offensive.” Coy’s mother, Kathryn Mathis, said she’s thrilled that Coy can return to school and put this behind her. The first-grader has been home-schooled during the proceedings “Schools should not discriminate against their students,” Mathis said. “All we ever wanted was for Coy’s school to treat her the same as other little girls. We are extremely happy that she now will be treated equally.” Mathis and her husband Jeremy will hold a noon (2 p.m. ET) news conference to discuss the case. The Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund praised the ruling that was filled under Colorado’s Anti-Discrimination Act. “It is a victory for Coy and a triumph for fairness,” said Michael Silverman, the group’s executive director. “This ruling sends a loud and clear message that transgender students may not be targeted for discrimination and that they must be treated equally in school.” For most of the past year, Coy has dressed as a girl. Coy’s passport and state-issued identification recognize her as female. Mathis said she got a call “out of the blue” from the school in December saying that Coy could use the boys’ bathroom, gender-neutral faculty bathrooms or the nurse’s bathroom, but not the girls’ facilities. The district “took into account not only Coy, but other students in the building, their parents and the future impact a boy with male genitals using a girls’ bathroom would have as Coy grew older,” a letter the family’s attorney received in December said. “However, I’m certain you can appreciate that, as Coy grows older and his male genitals develop along with the rest of his body, at least some parents and students are likely to become uncomfortable with his continued use of the girls’ restroom.” CNN was unable to reach the school district early Monday for comment on the ruling. But in February, the district’s attorney, W. Kelly Dude, said: “The district firmly believes it has acted reasonably and fairly with respect to this issue.”

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