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A significant ruling in 2020 set a precedent for the protection of transgender workers. This decision is important in shaping future legal
The highest court in the United States has made only one significant ruling regarding the rights of transgender individuals, which is known as Bostock v. Clayton County
The 2020 ruling stated that a significant civil rights law safeguards gay and transgender employees from discrimination in the workplace.
Justice Neil M. Gorsuch, who was appointed by President Donald J. Trump, stated that it is against the law for an employer to terminate an employee based solely on their sexual orientation or gender identity. This ruling was supported by Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and the court’s liberal wing consisting of four members.
The majority opinion and two dissenting opinions together totaled 168 pages. President Donald J. Trump mentioned to the press that he acknowledged the ruling. He commented that he had read the decision and while some may have been surprised, he respected and accepted the court’s decision. He also noted that he found the ruling to be very impactful.
The justices were tasked with interpreting Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination in employment based on race, religion, national origin, and sex. They needed to determine if the provision prohibiting discrimination "because of sex" also extended to gay and transgender employees.
Justice Gorsuch affirmed that it was indeed the case
The writer stated that if an employer fires someone for being homosexual or transgender, they are essentially firing them for qualities or behaviors that they would not have a problem with if the person belonged to a different gender.
Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. disagreed with the argument, stating that it was extremely arrogant. He also pointed out that there is no evidence to support the claim that any member of Congress understood the statutory text in that way when the law was passed in 1964.
The law that was discussed banned discrimination in the workplace based on sex. The case being debated now focuses on the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment, which is broad and sets up a framework for analysis rather than specific rules. Justice Alito stated in 2020 that the court’s ruling could have a significant impact on future constitutional cases.
Adam Liptak is a journalist who specializes in covering the Supreme Court and writing about legal news in his column called Sidebar. He graduated from Yale Law School and worked as a lawyer for 14 years before beginning his career at The New York Times in 2002.
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