Former employees claim they were fired from Planned Parenthood Southeast for opposing policy pullback

Six former members of Planned Parenthood Southeast have filed a lawsuit in federal court, claiming that they were wrongfully fired for raising concerns about the family health organization's former leadership in 2025.

The plaintiffs include the organization's former Georgia state director, Kaylah Oates-Marable; former vice president of communications and marketing, Jaylen Black; and former director of education, Jessica Swanson.

The lawsuit claims that the members were fired after openly discussing what they called a drift from Planned Parenthood Southeast's mission to provide inclusive and comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services, including abortion.

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

Some of the plaintiffs argue that they had filed internal complaints over alleged discriminatory practices targeting PPSE's LGBTQ employees, particularly those who were transgender and were fired after reporting the issues.

In Black's case, the lawsuit claims that she reported to new CEO Mairo Akposé concerns about mistreatment of a transgender staffer and the organization's policy directions and was dismissed shortly after when she went on medical leave.

"The simple fact is that we were fired from Planned Parenthood because we supported Planned Parenthood," Black said. "It would be ironic if it wasn't so heartbreaking and illegal."

As part of the lawsuit, the plaintiffs say that Akposé told senior-level staffers after the 2024 presidential election that one of her goals was to rebrand PPSE's mission as less centered on abortion rights, saying that the organization "focus too much on it." They also claimed that Akpose led the organization to distance itself from LGBTQ-focused topics, including not partnering in Pride-themed events.

"These six brave women tried to save Planned Parenthood Southeast," said attorney Artur Davis. "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."

Planned Parenthood Southeast's internal investigation

Planned Parenthood Southeast serves Georgia, Mississippi and Alabama, with seven health centers across the states.

In October 2025, the organization's board of directors announced that they were made aware of "troubling allegations" regarding executive leadership and would be taking action.

"We take these allegations seriously and have retained a nationally recognized law firm to conduct a thorough review. In the interim, PPSE remains open for business, serving the 15,000+ patients who rely on our services," the board said in a statement.

More than two months after the investigation began, Akposé resigned.

In a statement to CBS News Atlanta, Planned Parenthood Southeast said that the organization strives "to create a professional work environment where every member of our team feels valued and respected."

"Our organizational values are clear: We believe that every person deserves to make their own healthcare decisions, including whether to continue a pregnancy," the statement read in part. "We are proud to provide high-quality care to the LGBTQ+ community, free of judgment. And we will never waiver in our commitment to building a world where equitable access to care is available for all."