A former Nike contractor, who is transgender, is suing Nike for $1.1 million in damages for allegedly allowing gender identity-based harassment.

The lawsuit, filed in Multnomah Circuit Court in Oregon this week, states that Nike and the staffing firm Mainz Brady Group discriminated against Jazz Lyles, a computer engineer who identifies asa transmaculine and prefers the pronouns they, them, their.

Lyles worked for Nike from May 2017 to September 2018, and claims coworkers repeatedly misgendered Lyles. Lyles complained to management multiple times, but they allegedly failed to implement proper procedures and policies about the use of gender pronouns at work.

The complaint read, “When someone refuses to acknowledge a person’s gender identity or insists on referring to them by a gender to which they do not identify (called misgendering), this causes real and significant harm. This is particularly true when a person is misgendered repeatedly on a daily basis.” 

Nike did not comment about the lawsuit, but did say the company,”is committed to a culture of diversity, inclusion and respect where everyone can succeed and realize their full potential.”