The National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) and the law firm of Hangley Aronchick Segal & Pudlin filed a lawsuit in federal district court in Pennsylvania on behalf of former Penn State women’s basketball player Jennifer Harris against Lady Lions basketball coach Rene Portland and others. According to an NCLR release, the complaint alleges that Portland repeatedly inquired about Harris’ sexual orientation, pressured Harris to change her appearance to be more ‘feminine,’ harassed and targeted Harris and other African-American athletes, and eventually told other players not to associate with Harris. In 2005, after two years, Portland supposedly told Harris to find somewhere else to play.
The complaint names Portland, athletic director Tim Curley and the university as defendants; the document alleges that they violated numerous federal and state laws as well as constitutional protections prohibiting discrimination based on race, gender, and sexual orientation. In addition to seeking damages, the suit urges the court to order Penn State to conduct mandatory non-discrimination training for all athletic department employees as well as to create new policies to help student-athletes report discrimination without fear of retaliation.
The case is known as Jennifer E. Harris v. Maureen T. Portland, Timothy M. Curley, and the Pennsylvania State University.