Karen Ulane
Encyclopedia
Karen Frances Ulane was an American
airline pilot
who was dismissed by Eastern Airlines after undergoing transsexual transition in 1980. The case Ulane v. Eastern Airlines became the federal legal precedent for transsexual legal status under the Civil Rights Act of 1964
.
. Ulane joined the United States Army
and flew combat missions in the Vietnam War
from 1964 to 1968, then became a pilot for Eastern Airlines. Though Ulane won the case against Eastern, it was overturned on appeal.
Ulane died in the crash of a chartered DC-3 she was piloting, approximately five miles southwest of DeKalb, Illinois
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
airline pilot
Aviator
An aviator is a person who flies an aircraft. The first recorded use of the term was in 1887, as a variation of 'aviation', from the Latin avis , coined in 1863 by G. de la Landelle in Aviation Ou Navigation Aérienne...
who was dismissed by Eastern Airlines after undergoing transsexual transition in 1980. The case Ulane v. Eastern Airlines became the federal legal precedent for transsexual legal status under the Civil Rights Act of 1964
Civil Rights Act of 1964
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was a landmark piece of legislation in the United States that outlawed major forms of discrimination against African Americans and women, including racial segregation...
.
Life and career
Ulane was born in Chicago, Illinois and graduated from St. Ignatius College PrepSt. Ignatius College Prep
Saint Ignatius College Prep is a private, coeducational Jesuit high school located in Chicago, Illinois. The school was founded in Chicago in 1870 by Fr. Arnold Damen, S.J., a Belgian missionary to the United States. The school is coeducational, Catholic, college preparatory and sponsored by the...
. Ulane joined the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
and flew combat missions in the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
from 1964 to 1968, then became a pilot for Eastern Airlines. Though Ulane won the case against Eastern, it was overturned on appeal.
Ulane died in the crash of a chartered DC-3 she was piloting, approximately five miles southwest of DeKalb, Illinois
DeKalb, Illinois
DeKalb is a city in DeKalb County, Illinois, United States. The population was 43,862 at the 2010 census, up from 39,018 at the 2000 census. The city is named after decorated German war hero Johann De Kalb, who died during the American Revolutionary War....
.
External links
- Ulane v. Eastern Airlines via Transgender Law and Policy site
- Karen F. Ulane Memorial via Experimental Aircraft AssociationExperimental Aircraft AssociationThe Experimental Aircraft Association is an international organization of aviation enthusiasts based in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Since its inception it has grown internationally with over 160,000 members and about 1,000 chapters worldwide....