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A significant ruling made in 2020 upholding the rights of transgender employees has set an important legal precedent. Written by Adam
The Supreme Court has only issued one significant ruling regarding the rights of transgender individuals, which was in the case of Bostock v. Clayton County.
The decision made in 2020 stated that a significant civil rights law safeguards individuals who are gay or transgender from facing discrimination in the workplace.
Justice Neil M. Gorsuch, who was appointed to the court by President Donald J. Trump, stated in a 6-3 ruling that it is against the law for an employer to fire someone for being gay or transgender. Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and the court’s four-member liberal wing also supported this decision.
The ruling, which included a majority opinion and two dissents, was spread out over 168 pages. In a statement to the press, President Donald J. Trump stated that he acknowledged the ruling. He mentioned that he had reviewed the decision and while some people may have been surprised, the ruling had been made and they would abide by it. Trump also described the ruling as a strong decision.
The issue presented to the judges was interpreting a law called Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This law prohibits discrimination in the workplace based on race, religion, national origin, and sex. The judges had to determine if this law also protects gay and transgender employees from discrimination based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Justice Gorsuch stated that it was indeed the case
The author stated that when an employer terminates an employee for being homosexual or transgender, they are essentially firing them for characteristics or behaviors that would not have been an issue if they were a different gender.
Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. expressed disagreement by stating that the argument’s arrogance was astonishing. He emphasized that there was no evidence to suggest that any member of Congress understood the statutory text in that particular way back in 1964.
The law mentioned in the text banned discrimination in the workplace based on sex. The case being discussed now focuses on the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment, which is more broadly written and is used to create guidelines for analysis rather than strict rules. Even though Justice Alito stated in 2020 that the court’s ruling could have an impact on future constitutional cases.
Adam Liptak is a journalist who focuses on reporting about the Supreme Court and legal updates in his column called Sidebar. He attended Yale Law School and worked as a lawyer for 14 years prior to starting at The Times in 2002. Learn more about Adam Liptak.
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