Former Employees File Charges Against Planned Parenthood Branch For Not Being Gay Enough

Six former Planned Parenthood employees alleged a “pro-life, anti-LGBTQ+ regime” took over their branch in discrimination charges filed in January with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

Internal drama has been brewing at Planned Parenthood Southeast (PPSE) since former interim CEO Mairo Akpose, who staff complained  “deadnamed” transgender employees, took over the affiliate in July 2024. The six former PPSE employees complained to the EEOC that Akpose didn’t do enough to promote an LGBTQ agenda.

“These six women fought to protect the identity of Planned Parenthood and they have refused to go quietly,” their attorney Artur Davis said in a Tuesday statement. “The many champions and funders of the Planned Parenthood community deserve to know that something went badly wrong in their chapter down south. Restoring PPSE is not possible without providing justice and remedying the damages to these women.”

Kaylah Oates-Marabl, former PPSE Georgia state director, alleged Akpose blocked her team “from participating in Pride events for the LGBTQ community, citing security concerns and budget constraints, despite the fact that no other affiliate halted Pride events and PPSE’s approved budget for 2025 accounted for engaging Pride events.”

“I’ve wanted to work for Planned Parenthood since I was 17-years-old,” Oates-Marable said in a press release. “Now that dream is a nightmare not just for me but for everyone who counted on PPSE when there was nowhere else to turn.”

Another staff member, former vice president of communications and marketing Jaylen Black, alleged