Danielle Peterson, a former dermatology resident in New York Medical College’s program at Metropolitan Hospital Center, is taking NYC Health + Hospitals to court, accusing the public system of gender-identity discrimination, disability discrimination and retaliation. In a new lawsuit, Peterson says they were urged to conceal their gender identity and later stripped of clinical and academic duties after speaking up about workplace conduct. The suit asks for monetary damages and a jury trial.
What the lawsuit alleges
According to Gothamist, the complaint says the residency program director told Peterson "not to tell anyone" about being nonbinary and discouraged Peterson from sharing their pronouns. The filing further claims a department chair repeatedly made disparaging comments about women and about people’s appearances, and that the chair requested an updated photograph while suggesting Peterson had "tricked" the program.
One faculty member is quoted in the suit asking, "How do you know he's not one of those perverts who identify as something else just to make everyone else's life harder?" before later saying he was joking, according to the complaint cited by Gothamist.
Evaluation and removal from duties
The lawsuit also alleges Peterson was pressured to undergo a psychiatric evaluation and was subsequently removed from clinical rotations and academic responsibilities after raising concerns about discrimination, Gothamist reports. The filing was submitted Monday, and Peterson’s attorney did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The suit seeks financial damages and demands a jury trial.
Legal backdrop
New York state and city laws explicitly prohibit discrimination based on gender identity and disability, and they set out multiple avenues for workplace complaints and enforcement. Guidance from the NYC Commission on Human Rights notes that protections extend to correct names, pronouns and restroom access. The New York State Attorney General outlines how those rules are enforced, including options for addressing retaliation and harassment. Those statutes and regulations form the basis for the legal counts listed in Peterson’s complaint.
Hospital programs and policy
Publicly, NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan highlights a Pride Health Center and other LGBTQ+ services, and the system’s plans to relaunch the center in 2025 emphasize expanded gender-affirming care and outreach in East Harlem, according to a system press release. The health system also publishes a NYC Health + Hospitals Notice of Non‑discrimination describing grievance procedures and identifying a civil-rights coordinator for both patients and staff. The lawsuit’s allegations sit in sharp contrast to those public commitments, raising questions about how policies are carried out inside affiliated residency programs.
What happens next
The case will now move through the courts, a process that could bring scrutiny to personnel decisions, supervision and training practices within the residency program as part of discovery. For workers and medical trainees who believe they have experienced discrimination, city and state agencies outline complaint processes and resources that can be used to evaluate potential claims under existing New York law.
