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The Impact of the 2020 Supreme Court Decision on Transgender Workers’ Rights: A Landmark Precedent

In Citizen
January 13, 2025

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A significant ruling in 2020 set a precedent in favor of protecting the rights of transgender workers.

There has been only one significant Supreme Court ruling regarding rights for transgender individuals, which is Bostock v. Clayton County.

The decision made in 2020 stated that a significant civil rights law shields gay and transgender employees from discrimination in the workplace.

Justice Neil M. Gorsuch, who was appointed by President Donald J. Trump, stated in a 6-to-3 ruling that it is against the law for an employer to terminate an employee simply for being gay or transgender. Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and the four liberal justices on the court also supported this decision.

The ruling, which consisted of a majority opinion and two dissents, was a lengthy 168 pages. President Donald J. Trump told reporters that he accepted the decision, stating that he had read it and that while some may have been surprised, the ruling stands and they must abide by it. He also described the ruling as a strong and impactful decision.

The justices were tasked with interpreting Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits employment discrimination based on race, religion, national origin, and sex. They needed to determine if this prohibition against discrimination based on sex also extended to gay and transgender employees.

Justice Gorsuch stated that it was indeed the case

He stated that when an employer terminates an employee for being homosexual or transgender, they are essentially firing them for characteristics or behaviors that they would not have had a problem with if the individual belonged to a different gender.

Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. disagreed with the argument and stated that it was incredibly arrogant. He also mentioned that there is no evidence to suggest that any member of Congress interpreted the statutory text in that way back in 1964 when the law was passed.

The law that was discussed prohibited discrimination in the workplace based on gender. The case being argued focuses on the 14th Amendment’s equal protection clause, which provides a general framework for analysis rather than specific rules. Justice Alito noted that the court’s decision in this case could have a significant impact on future constitutional cases.

Adam Liptak is a journalist who specializes in reporting on the Supreme Court and legal news through his column, Sidebar. He graduated from Yale Law School and worked as a lawyer for 14 years before starting his career at The New York Times in 2002. To learn more about Adam Liptak, click here.

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