Discrimination complaint filed against Maine nursing facility for allegedly turning away transgender woman

JONESPORT, Maine — CORRECTION: A previous version of this story incorrectly referred to the facility as Sunrise Care Facility. In 2018, Downeast Community Hospital closed Sunrise Care Facility and donated the building to the town of Jonesport. It then reopened under the ownership of Adult Family Care Homes of Maine and was renamed Sunrise Assisted Living.

A downeast nursing facility is getting national scrutiny for allegedly discriminating against a transgender woman.

The discrimination complaint was filed by GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders on behalf of a 78-year-old woman claiming she was denied a room at Sunrise Assisted Living because she is transgender.

According to the organization, it is the first such legal claim of discrimination brought in the U.S. against a senior long-term care facility.

Sunrise’s administrator called the allegations “untrue” and refused to give any further comment to NEWS CENTER Maine.

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