When Erin Dotten came out to her employers at Broward College as transgender and told them about her plans to transition from male to female, she was not expecting the fight that quickly followed: Within a day, she was put on a performance improvement plan, despite having no previous disciplinary action against her, and within six months, she was fired and told it was due to her transition. “They made my life pure hell,” she said.

After coming out, Erin became an LGBTQ advisor for Broward College, and as a trained paramedic and EMS Chief, she considered herself to be a role model for the school community. But the college administration continued to escalate their complaints against her in the coming months, and ultimately, it resulted in Erin’s sudden termination.

Erin is now standing up in court to defend her freedom against employment discrimination. And as a lifelong conservative Republican, she’s now speaking out with Conservatives Against Discrimination, a program of Freedom for All Americans dedicated to elevating the voices of conservatives who support freedom and dignity for all LGBTQ people. All Americans should be judged based on their character and actions, not based on who they are or who they love.

Erin knows that her case isn’t about politics; it’s about basic dignity and respect. That’s why she stands with other conservatives making the case that the freedom to live and work free from discrimination is aligned with conservative values.

“I think conservatives should speak up to other conservatives and say, ‘I was brought up Christian, I taught Sunday School, I taught vacation Bible study, and what I do know is that at least the God that I pray to looks at me as one of His children,” Erin said. “It’s supposed to be Love your neighbor as yourself. It’s not Love your neighbor as yourself unless you’re in the LGBT community. That was my main thought and reason behind speaking out as a conservative against discrimination.”