Karen Ulane

Karen Ulane
Born December 10, 1941
Chicago, Illinois
Died May 22, 1989 (aged 47)
near DeKalb, Illinois
Known for Legal precedent for transsexual people under Civil Rights Act of 1964

Karen Frances Ulane (December 10, 1941 – May 22, 1989) was an American airline pilot who was dismissed by Eastern Airlines after undergoing sex reassignment surgery in 1980.[1] The case Ulane v. Eastern Airlines became the federal legal precedent for transsexual legal status under the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Life and career

Ulane was born in Chicago, Illinois and graduated from St. Ignatius College Prep. Ulane joined the United States Army and flew combat missions in the Vietnam War from 1964 to 1968, then became a pilot for Eastern Airlines. Though she won the case against Eastern, it was overturned on appeal.[2]

Ulane died in the crash of a chartered DC-3 she was piloting, approximately five miles southwest of DeKalb, Illinois.[3][4]

References

  1. ↑ Shipp, E.R. (December 28, 1983). Federal judge orders Eastern Airlines to rehire transsexual pilot. New York Times
  2. ↑ Staff report (April 16, 1985). Pilot loses sex change case appeal. Chicago Tribune
  3. ↑ Associated Press (May 24, 1989), "Karen Ulane, 48, Pilot; Who Had Sex Change", The New York Times, retrieved 2008-02-28
  4. ↑ Sjostrom, Joseph (August 24, 1991). Pilot error cited in 1989 crash. Chicago Tribune

External links