Georgia Southern settles LGBTQ+ rights lawsuit for $250,000

Georgia Southern University and the Georgia Board of Regents have agreed to a $250,000 settlement to resolve a lawsuit filed by former Director of Health and Wellness, Gemma Skuraton. Skuraton alleged that her 2025 dismissal violated her First Amendment and Title IX rights.

The dispute originated following shifts in university administration and state legislation, specifically SB1, which restricts transgender athletes. Skuraton had been advocating for student resources, including a grant to provide free chest binders for transgender and non-binary students. Following the rejection of this grant and the removal of LGBTQ+ related materials from campus, student protests ensued. Skuraton was subsequently fired, despite having received positive performance evaluations in previous years.

Student advocates, including former graduate assistant Maeve King, noted that the initiative to provide binders was based on a needs assessment conducted by student organizations to support the campus LGBTQ+ community.