Federal judge rules on a lawsuit filed by an Ohio professor who claimed not using transgender’s preferred pronoun is free speech. https://t.co/yrJlDTbogS pic.twitter.com/QPFEaWwtAF

— Local 12/WKRC-TV (@Local12) February 17, 2020

PORTSMOUTH, Ohio (AP) - A judge has dismissed a professor’s lawsuit against a small, public university in Ohio that rebuked him for not addressing a transgender student using the student’s preferred gender terms.

Nicholas Meriwether’s federal lawsuit alleged that Shawnee State University officials violated his rights by compelling him to speak in a way that contradicts his Christian beliefs.

The school contended such language was part of his job responsibilities, not speech protected by the First Amendment.

A federal judge agreed that the manner in which Meriwether addressed the student wasn’t protected under the First Amendment.

A message seeking comment was left Monday for Alliance Defending Freedom, which represented Meriwether.