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A significant ruling in 2020 set a precedent in favor of protecting the rights of transgender workers.
The Supreme Court has only made one significant ruling on the rights of transgender individuals, which was 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 identify as gay or transgender from being discriminated against in the workplace.
Justice Neil M. Gorsuch, who was the first judge appointed by President Donald J. Trump, stated in a 6-3 ruling that it is against the law for an employer to terminate someone simply for being gay or transgender. Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and the court’s four liberal members also supported this decision.
The ruling consisted of a majority opinion and two dissents that totaled 168 pages. President Donald J. Trump told reporters that he accepted the decision and had read the ruling. He mentioned that some people were surprised by the ruling, but he acknowledged it and said that they would abide by it. Trump also described the ruling as a "very powerful decision."
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 prohibition against discrimination "because of sex" also covered gay and transgender employees, potentially impacting millions of workers.
Justice Gorsuch expressed in writing that it was the
The author stated that when an employer terminates an employee for being homosexual or transgender, they are essentially letting them go for qualities or behaviors that they would not have had an issue with if the individual belonged to a different gender.
Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. disagreed with the argument, stating that he found it incredibly arrogant. He also mentioned that there is no proof that any member of Congress understood the text of the law in that way when it was enacted in 1964.
The law that was discussed banned discrimination in the workplace based on someone’s gender. The case being debated focuses on the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment, which is broadly written and is used to create a framework for analysis rather than specific rules. Justice Alito mentioned in 2020 that the court’s ruling in this case could have an influence on future constitutional cases.
Adam Liptak is a journalist who specializes in covering the Supreme Court and writes a column called Sidebar, focusing on legal news. He attended Yale Law School and worked as a lawyer for 14 years before starting his career at The New York Times in 2002. For additional information about Adam Liptak, please visit his profile
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