Like X on a treasure map, the reward is gender liberation for everyone in the beautiful rainbow. Lake Perriguey, Esq. Photo: Fausto Fernós.

Many of the big LGBT victories we’ve achieved over the years have come down to getting the judicial courts to change their perception of gender roles.

For example, the Federal appeals court recently said workers can’t be fired for being gay since the Civil Rights Act of 1964 already prohibits discrimination against an employee based on gender stereotyping.

Last year in Oregon a judge decreed that a person may be legally recognized as gender nonbinary — a first in U.S. History.

For Pride this year, the Department of Motor Vehicles will begin issuing driver’s licenses for non-binary people, allowing an X option for unspecified or as we call it, X-ceptional!

This is a momentous occasion that’s been a long time coming as people who don’t identify as either male or female will finally gain the freedom and recognition they deserve.

Today we are chatting with Lake Perriguey, Esq., the attorney who brought the case before the court on behalf of his client Sgt. First Class Jamie Shupe who identifies as non-binary.

A real American hero, Sgt. Jamie Shupe at the Transgender Day of Visibility, March 31, 2016, Pioneer Square, Portland, Oregon. Photo: Jamie Schupe.

Listen as we chat with Lake about why his client was motivated to take this to court, why large LGBT rights organization shied away from the case and how this case is getting us to rethink our tired, worn out notions of gender.

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Lake Perriguey celebrates his birthday with us! Happy Birthday.

Young drag queens will change the world. Fausto & Lake with the Dean of the School of Fine Arts of the University of Texas, Austin. April 1, 1993. Photo: Fausto Fernós.

A young Lake Perriguey in drag, April 1, 1993. Photo: Fausto Fernós.

Fausto Fernós, Chris Rincón and Lake Perriguey in drag. April 1, 1993. Photo: Fausto Fernós.