Gay Counselor Sues Indianapolis Archdiocese Over Her Firing

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — A gay guidance counselor is suing the Catholic Archdiocese of Indianapolis, accusing it of discrimination for firing her because she's in a same-sex marriage.

Lynn Starkey filed her federal lawsuit Monday against the archdiocese and Roncalli High School.

The Indianapolis Star reports the suit accuses the archdiocese and the Indianapolis school of retaliating against her, subjecting her to a hostile work environment and discriminating against her on the basis of her sexual orientation.

The archdiocese said in a statement that Starkey had "knowingly violated" her contract by entering into a same-sex marriage, "making clear that she disagrees with the Church's teaching on marriage."

Archbishop Charles Thompson has said the recent firings of gay teachers at two Catholic high schools were about upholding church teachings on marriage and not sexual orientation.