Former Pitt transgender student files complaint with Pittsburgh commission

Seamus Johnston, a former Pitt Johnstown student, filed a complaint with the Pittsburgh… Seamus Johnston, a former Pitt Johnstown student, filed a complaint with the Pittsburgh Commission on Human Relations Monday, a day before he testified in front of a federal grand jury regarding the 99 bomb threats that the University has received this semester.

Johnston, who was born female but lives as a male, commented briefly via email on his testimony, maintaining his innocence and again claiming that the University was unfairly targeting him in the bomb-threat case because of his status as a transgender individual.

Last week, the FBI issued a subpoena to Johnston and his partner, Katherine Anne McCloskey, 56, to provide fingerprints, handprintings and handwriting samples and surrender their computers. But Johnston said the couple will not comply without a warrant.

Jerome Cochran, Pitt’s executive vice chancellor and a member of the Office of General Counsel of the University, previously confirmed that, in November, Johnston was arrested for and charged with indecent exposure, defiant trespass and disorderly conduct after he showered and changed in a men’s locker room on campus. Johnston has since been expelled.

The University received two more threats Tuesday afternoon, after Johnston and McCloskey testified.

University representatives did not respond to multiple requests for comment, although previously Cochran denied Johnston’s claim that he is being singled out because of his gender identification.

“It is not uncommon for individuals who become the subject of a criminal investigation to attempt to shift responsibility to others. Apparently, that is happening in this case. However, the University has engaged in no retaliatory behavior. Instead, the investigation in question is being conducted by the FBI in accordance with its own standards,” Cochran said in an email.

While Johnston did not comment on the complaint to the Commission on Human Relations, commission Director Charles Morrison confirmed that Johnston did file a complaint against the University.

Morrison said that the Pittsburgh commission will have jurisdiction even though Johnston was a student in Johnstown, because the University’s policy regarding gendered facilities is the same in Oakland as it is at branch campuses.

Morrison said that while Johnston was the first student to file a complaint against the University, he encourages anyone else who feels discriminated against to come forward.

“We believe people whose rights have been violated should stand up and fight it, because otherwise, nothing will change,” he said.

Morrison said that while he could not comment any further on the complaint, which is confidential, he did outline the way the commission works. First, the commision, which is made up of 15 people appointed by the mayor, seeks to resolve a dispute in mediation.

If that fails, the commission will hold a public meeting that will determine if a law has been broken and if the act in question has the force of law.

Morrison said that although the commission can issue fines up to $10,000 in cases of housing discrimination, the largest amount the University could be fined in Johnston’s case is “only $300.”

“It’s not significant,” he said, regarding the possible fine.