A former Norfolk, Virginia, police officer has filed a $15 million lawsuit against the city and its police chief, alleging that the department's transgender policy led to her sharing a women's locker room with a biological male.
Meghan Grabow, who was a Norfolk police officer, filed the lawsuit on August 10, stemming from an incident in August 2024. According to the complaint, Grabow was in the women's locker room changing when a recruit, described as a biological male who identifies as a woman, entered the room. Grabow reported that the recruit looked at her in a way that made her uncomfortable before moving to another area of the locker room.
When Grabow expressed her discomfort to superiors, she was allegedly told to "learn to deal with it" and to "find another locker room" if she was uncomfortable. The lawsuit also states that Police Chief Mark Talbot instructed officers to refer to the recruit as "she" and that the recruit would use the restroom appropriate for her gender identity.
Other officers reportedly raised concerns about not being warned about sharing facilities with a biological male. Talbot acknowledged that the situation could have been handled "better."
Grabow claims she later received an indefinite suspension pending termination in 2025 due to a minor traffic violation that occurred prior to the locker room incident, which she believes was retaliation for attempting to voice her complaint. The complaint also states that other officers have left the department due to backlash over the transgender policy.
The lawsuit seeks $15 million in compensatory damages. Grabow claims the police chief and department are responsible for intentional infliction of emotional distress and for violating her religious freedoms, citing her Catholic beliefs and asserting that she was forced to share a changing facility with a biological male and validate transgender ideology against her will.
Scott Lloyd, Grabow's attorney, stated that the case aims to defend private spaces for women. The Norfolk Police Department declined to comment on the pending litigation or personnel matters.
According to 2020 guidelines for the Norfolk Police Department, employees are encouraged to respect an individual's gender identity and expression, with exceptions for questioning only if related to a crime. The guidelines define gender expression to include traits not typically associated with a person's assigned sex at birth.