Blackwell v. Abercrombie & Fitch Stores, Inc., No. 7:2013cv00331 - Document 26 (W.D. Va. 2013)

Court Description: MEMORANDUM OPINION. Signed by Judge Samuel G. Wilson on 11/21/2013. (eot)

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cŠr sOFFI U.s. Sm r l CE DI n r ATROANOKE, VA FIED L N2# 21 2 1 23 I TH E U NI N TED STATES DISTR I T C O UR T C FO R TH E W ESTE RN DISTR I T O F V IR G I IA C N ROANOKE DI I O N V SI JUL W B Y; , CLERK ' UW %. L ERK I A N BLA CK W ELL M Ci lAdi N o. 1 CV vi on 7: 3- 331 Pl nt f , ai i f Oz . *+, M EM O R AND U M O PI I N N O '' ' ABERCROM BI & FI E TCH S TORES I 4: , N jr j y g y . By: Sam ue G .W is l l on U nied St es D i ri Judge t at st ct D ef endant. Unde l sandi pr c de r ce l r f im e by t Supr m e Cour ofV igi a, a r ong- t ng e e nt e nty ea fr d he e t r ni busne so ro di rl owe adut t isi t st wa n a m ot d a i tt r pa t i s wne r na iy s y o t nviee o r nd e gans hid ry c i i a t onl whe t r i a i m i ntpr ba lt ofha Thi i a di r iy ac i f r rm nal c s y n he e s n m ne o biiy nn. s s ve st ton o ne i nceplrua t 28U. 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C r r mbe' o n l e h u ti d s e ut f n sa l y h r Ab ) r pa t t toc ured i a Abe cr ry ha c r n n r ombi dr sng r .Abe c o bi ha m ove t dim ist r e esi oom rr m e s d o s s mde FedealRul ofCi lPr dur 1 b)6 , i ani Bl kwelha no al eds t e fcs r e vi oce e 2( () manti ng ac l s t leg ufkint a t t s o how t tA be c om bi e pl esf l t a ti t f ce ofa know n i m i ntpr biiy o ha rr e m oye aied o c n he a m ne oba lt f a as a t The cour ag e s a ac or ng y,wildi m i s be us Bl ckw e lha f l t pl d n s ul. t r e nd, c di l l s s ca e a l s aied o ea f c s s i s i e il d t r le a t how ng he s ntte o e i f Bl kw e la l gest f l w i f c s W hie a c t e i A be cr m bi s sor ac l le he olo ng a t . l us om r n r o e' t e, Bl kwel c es m eie sa t n we t us a d e sngr m whi h had abr n doorl k. ac l hos o t m nd he nt o e r s i oo c oke oc Aber r c ombi di notha sa fa tndi t dr sngr e d ve t f te ng he es i oom a ea ha l r cot ng diplys r ; d a ge l hi s a , phot a ,r ks ari i i lpl nt ,a o he ie sbl ki t a e s vi i lt and ha t ogr phs ac , tfc a a s nd t r t m oc ng he r a' s biiy; d he a e poory ltwih da k,d m lg i a n t ani cub. A l t w hie Abe c om bi pl ye ra l i t r i ihtng ki o ght l l he l , r r e a d l t oud, humpi m usc, c m a i dit ul t communi a ei ea eofa eme ge y. ng i whih de t fk t o ct n s n r nc Rya Si e e edt so e Aber r n nk nt r he t r . c ombi e pl ess w Si a he a ar e m oye a nk, nd ppe ed i oxi aed.Ac or ngt Bl kwe l t empl sf a e f t s f t oft so epa r ns but nt c t c di o ac l, he oyee e r d or he a e y he t r to , t no a ton.Soon,Si f c bl e e edBlc l' d e sng r m a s xual a s ule ook ci nk or i y nt r a kwe ls r s i oo nd e ly s a t d he . r A c or ng t Abe c o bi Bl c el' c pl i f ist s w t tis e pl eskne c di o r r m e, a kw ls om a nt a l o ho ha t m oye w ofa i mi ntt e tofha m,apr r quiiet isla lt f t c i na a s ul by at r n m ne hr a r e e st o t ibiiy or he rmi l s a t hid pa t The co tag e s a gr nt ism oton t di m i s butgi Bl kw e ll ve t a e i ry. ur r e nd a s t i o s s, ves ac l ea o m nd f s i a e t ctr t de i i nc esofhe c pl i . he s bl o le he f c e i r om a nt A motont dimist rFedea Rul ofCi lPr edur 1 b)6)t t t l al i o s s mde rl e vi oc e 2( ( ess he eg s t e yofaoompli .Unde Rul ()a( oft Fedea RulsofCi lPr e e, ufkinc ant r e 8 ()2) he rl e vi oc dur a pl di mus c ai a ( ho ta pl i sa e e toft c am s ea ng t ont n t r nd an tt m n s he l i howi t tt pl a ri ng ha he e de s e t ldt r l f' Toslvv rve t ecama tsC ta t l l g to mu tb e o g t n i e o ei . t e ' t ie e iw,h li n ' il cua al ains s e n u h o r l e r i e a rghtt r le a a s i o e i f bove t s c a i l vel' a t pl a ng m us co a n t nough f c st he pe ul tve e ,' nd he e di t nt i t e at o s a e a c a m t r left ti pl usbl on is f c ' Be lAt . p. Tw om bl 550 U . 5 t t l i o e i ha s a i e t a e. l l Cor v. ' v, S. 44, 5 5 5 0( 0 7 (iaino te ) Cf r a b r rct l o t eee nso ac u eo a to , 5 , 7 2 0 ) ctto mitd . çh e d ae e i s f h lme t f a s f cin a s uppo t d by m e e co l or s a e ent ,do nots fc ' A s r tv. gbal 556 U . 662,678 re r nc us y t t m s uf i e. hc of l , ' S. ( 2009) Pli if mus ofe e . antfs t fr noughf t çonudgeg)t rcai a r st lnefom acs t t hei l ms c os he i r c ei bl t pl us bl ,' onc va e o a i e ' Twom bl 550 U . at570,a f om whi h t c t ca lng upon ç t v, S. nd r c he our , li ss i j dca e p re c a dc mmo sns , c nc ncud t a t epla rh sK h m z t a h i u iil x ein e n o n e e' a o l e h t h e de a t o ' h t e s ' s ' e ildt r i .Fed.R.Ci P.8() l l 5 U. a 679.W he c i rngaRul 1 b)6) ntte o elef v. a ;gba, 56 S. t n onsdei e 2( ( m oto t co tmus a c pta 1f c a al ga i i t c i n,he ur t c e 1 a m l le tons n he ompl i a tu a mus dr w al ant s r e nd t a l r s bl i e e e i f vo oft pl i if Erc s nv Pad s 5 U. 8 , 4( 0 7 . ea ona e nf r nc s n a r he antf . ik o . r u , 51 S. 9 9 2 0 ) Und rVign alw,lasag nea nze apes n d e no h v ad t t wa o p o e t e r ii a S l e r l l, ro o s t a e u y o m r r tc l a he f om t c i i a sofa t r pe s .' Com m onw e 1h v. t r on,N o.1 71 201 not r r he rm nal ct hid r on ' a t Pe e s 21 7, 3 W L 5 3 2 2, t* ( . t 3 , 3 (iigTh mp o v. k t Ameia l .2 1Va 1 , 8 3 6 a 4 Va Oc. 1 201 ) ctn o s n S ae rc .nc, 6 . 21 1 - ( 0 :.Nar w e e to sd e it S eYuz f v k v S . o sW o dAp s, 61Va 2829 20 1 ro xc p in o x s. e eo s v . t J hn' o t.2 . 9 1 6( 0 ) Bu db e o ea e e to c me it p a ,hefcsmus etb iht e 7, 0 2 01 . tt l fr n xc p in o s n o ly t a t t sa ls h g e s e e ofa s ci lr a i hi ' Pet r on, xit nc pe a el tons p. e s 2013 W L 5833262 a * . Forbusi s ' t4 nes owne si t s lket ehe e, he Supr m eCour ofVigi ar ogni sas c a r l tons p, r/nviee , i hos r t e t r ni ec ze pe i l e a i hi b tt os ljad t t wn no t r p ryci n l cso l wheet r (s 11i n n u tmp e s uy o r f hid a t rmia a t n y r hee il a1 mmie t i p o a l yo ij r 'fo at idp ryci n la t'I a * (iigYu e o k , 61Va a r b bit f nu y r m hr a t rmia c. d. t 5 ctn z fvs v 2 i ' .t 1 9 (o to eo te ) tlmie tp o a iiyo h r 'sGh heg tn d d g e o 0 ) f on t mitd . tn n n r b b l f am'i d e ih e e e r e f l t t f e ee biiy t ta ie whe et de e ntç or s a lt ha rs s r he f nda knowst tc i i a s ulsag ns pe s ar ha rm nal s a t ai t r ons e o c n n , ra ea o t oo cl, ntep e s s' a e u n ç tc o as e i d n e j t c u i g o r b u t c t o h r mie ,b sd po noie f p ct a g r us r k prort t a sul.'l a *5( tto omitd) i o he sa t'' d. t ciains te . H e e, ih t a r w t he bove pr e si m i t c tfnds t tBl kw e lha pl d a ec pt n nd, he our i ha ac l s e ta tonal r c nie s ci rlto hi wihAbecombi ( busne sowne/nvie rdii ly e og z d pe al eains p t rr e a i s ri te rlto hi govene byt Ei ne prba lt ofij y'sa r , Yuzeo ky,261Va a eains p r d he smmi nt o biiy n ur ' tndad 1 fvs .t 1 6 , u t ts eh sn tpe fdss o n t a s c n stsyta sa d r .S ealg sno 0 ) b tha h a o ld a h wig h t he a aif h t tn a d h le e f c s s i t tan Abe c om bi e pl a t how ng ha rr e m oyee ha know l d edge t a c i i la s ul w a hat r m na s a t s oc uni o wasa c ng r boutt oc t W ha s hasalege i t am a who a a e i oxia e o cm t he l d s hat n ppe r d nt c t d 1Alhough s t ome s i r a i hi r quie o y known o r as bl f r s e bl pecal eltons ps e r nl r e ona y o e e a e ha no s h s i rltons pe sshee.Se Pees n,201 W L 58 26 a *5( susi nn, uc pecal eai hi xit r e tro 3 33 2 t dic sng s c a r a i hi s h asc m on ca e / s e r i pe i l el tons ps uc om ni rpa s nge , nnke pe / s ,a e r gue t nd e oye/mpl e) mpl re oye . e er d t so e a f rs easye t t t r as c us c e n f rt s e y of nt e he t r , nd o om t msaed e on a ed onc r o he aft Abec ombi spar .I s dnotbeoneoust a tc aet t ( rye unsae r a ons, rr e' tons t houl r o riult bcs he t ttd e s ) bey m e e i oxia i , t ts ond r nt c ton ha ugge tknowl s edgeofs m elke i o i lhood ofa i i nta s ul. n mm ne s a t2 Butwihoutt ef c ss ha f l d t s t ts i e il d t r le t hos a t he s aie o how ha he s ntte o e if 1 1. 1 Fort r as sa e t c t l gr ntAbe c om bi smoton t dim isa g a he e ons t t d, he our wil a rr e' i o s s nd r nt Bl c l l a t fl a n nde c a kwe l e ve o ie n me d ompli wihi 21da t s tf t as c tcf t lba i ant t n ys o e orh pe ii acua ss t sp r h rg nea alg to sa t a i n n po blt o hpp-' o u pot e e rl le ain s o n mmie t rba ii f a . * y ' EN TER : N ove be 21, 3. m r 201 . A UNk S TED TATES DI TRI J S CT UDGE le tons ha n r r m e mpl e a nk a s 2Fo i t nc , t r a eno a lgai t ta Abe c o bi e oye s w Si br ndih r ns a e he e r a w e po a tphys ca l a es i m a i i i tng ort e t ni r m a ks o e t rt a n; c i ly ggr s ve; ke ntm da i hr a e ng e r ; r n e he dr s ng r es i oom a e w ih no a r ntl gii at pur e. ra t ppa e e tm e pos 4

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