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A significant legal ruling in 2020 set a precedent in favor of protecting the rights of transgender workers.
The Supreme Court has made a significant ruling on transgender rights in the case of Bostock v. Clayton County.
In 2020, a decision was made stating that a significant law regarding civil rights safeguards individuals who are gay or transgender from facing 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 individual based solely on their sexual orientation or gender identity. Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and the four liberal justices on the court also supported this decision.
The ruling included a majority opinion and two dissents that totaled 168 pages. President Donald J. Trump told reporters that he respected the decision, despite some people being surprised by it. He called it a strong decision and acknowledged that they must abide by it.
The justices had to determine the interpretation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, a statute that prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of race, religion, national origin, and sex. The main question was whether the prohibition against discrimination "because of sex" also included protection for gay and transgender workers.
Justice Gorsuch stated that it was the case.
The writer stated that an employer who terminates an employee for being homosexual or transgender is essentially discriminating against them for characteristics or behaviors that would not be an issue if the employee belonged to a different gender.
Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. disagreed with the argument, stating that he found it to be incredibly arrogant. He also pointed out that there is no evidence to suggest that any member of Congress understood the law in that way when it was passed in 1964.
The law that was discussed banned discrimination in the workplace based on gender. The case being debated now focuses on the 14th Amendment’s equal protection clause, which is broad and sets up a way of analyzing cases rather than strict rules. Justice Alito expressed in 2020 that the court’s ruling could have a significant impact on future constitutional cases.
Adam Liptak is a journalist who reports on the Supreme Court and writes a column called Sidebar, which focuses on legal news. He attended Yale Law School and worked as a lawyer for 14 years before starting at The New York Times in 2002. Learn more about Adam Liptak.
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