Giggle for Girls app discriminated against trans woman Roxanne Tickle, appeal judge rules when doubling damages

The federal court has upheld a landmark decision that found a women-only social media app and its founder unlawfully discriminated against Roxanne Tickle after the transgender woman was denied access to the platform. In their judgment on Friday, 15 May, justices Melissa Perry, Wendy Abraham and Geoffrey Kennett affirmed an August 2024 finding that Tickle was discriminated against on the basis of her gender identity, and also sided with Tickle’s cross-appeal, claiming she experienced two instances of direct discrimination by the Giggle for Girls app and its founder Sall Grover. The app and Grover had challenged justice Robert Bromwich’s milestone decision which found they had indirectly discriminated against Tickle when she was barred from the platform because they thought she was a man. On Friday, the full bench of the federal court in Sydney upheld Bromwich’s decision and awarded Tickle damages of $20,000, double the amount initially awarded. Sign up for the Breaking News Australia email It also ruled Tickle was successful in her cross-appeal, finding she was discriminated against twice, when Tickle was excluded from accessing the Giggle app on the basis of her gender-related appearance, and secondly when her readmission to the app was refused. Tickle, from regional New South Wales, had her access to the app blocked in 2021 after she uploaded a selfie of her face as part of its registration process. …