KKG Sorority Sisters Identify Themselves in Lawsuit Against Trans Woman, National Organization

Six Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority sisters at the University of Wyoming on Thursday identified themselves by name and not as Jane Does in their federal contract lawsuit against their national organization and others.

On April 6, U.S. District Court Judge Alan Johnson set an April 20 deadline for the sorority sisters to identify themselves if they wanted to pursue their claims against the defendants.

One of the original Jane Does apparently is no longer a plaintiff as of Thursday, when the other sisters filed their amended complaint in U.S. District Court.

The defendants are the national Kappa Kappa Gamma Fraternity, Fraternity Council President Mary Pat Rooney, the Kappa Kappa Building Co. (the owner of the sorority house), and the transgender member they say had the illegal support of the national organization to be accepted as a member.

Besides naming themselves, six plaintiffs on Thursday named the transgender woman, Artemis Langford, who previously had been identified as "Terry Smith."

The original seven sorority sisters had requested anonymity because they believed naming themselves would lead to threats and harassment, according to their attorneys Cassie Craven and John Knepper of Cheyenne.

Johnson responded that incidents they cited of possible threats were unexceptional and insufficient to overcome the 'public's interest in open court proceedings.'"

He also wrote, "Our system of dispute resolution does not allow Plaintiffs to cower behind an anonymity shield, especially one that is so rarely bestowed in this District or Circuit."

The six former "Jane Does" -- all current members of Kappa Kappa Gamma and students at the University -- are:

• Jaylyn Westenbroek, a citizen of Colorado.
• Hannah Holtmeier, a citizen of Nebraska.
• Allison Coghan, a citizen of Kansas.
• Grace Choate, a citizen of Oklahoma.
• Madeline Ramar, a citizen of Colorado.
• Megan Kosar, a citizen of Virginia.

Defendant Artemis Langford's home isn't specific. They named their residence as a dormitory in Laramie, a Utah resident because their parents live in Utah, or a Washington State resident because they present a Washington State Driver's license when asked for official identification.

Other than the plaintiffs' identifications and Langford's identifications, the assertions and demands are substantiallyl the same as those in their initial complaint filed March 27.

They claimed the national organization forced them to accept a transgendered woman as a member contrary to national bylaws that only women may be members.