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A significant legal ruling in 2020 has set an important precedent for the protection of transgender employees.
There has been only one significant ruling by the Supreme Court regarding the rights of transgender individuals, which is 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 facing discrimination in the workplace.
Justice Neil M. Gorsuch, who was the first appointee to the court by President Donald J. Trump, stated in a 6-3 ruling that it is against the law for an employer to terminate an employee 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 total length of the majority opinion and two dissents was 168 pages. President Donald J. Trump told reporters that he agreed with the ruling. He mentioned that he had read the decision and although some people were surprised by it, he respected and accepted the court’s decision. Trump 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 discrimination in employment based on race, religion, national origin, and sex. They needed to determine if this prohibition of discrimination based on sex also extended to include gay and transgender workers.
Justice Gorsuch stated that it was indeed the case
According to the writer, if an employer fires someone for being homosexual or transgender, they are essentially firing them for characteristics or behaviors that would not be an issue if they were 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 in question prevented discrimination in the workplace based on someone’s gender. The case being discussed focuses on the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment, which provides a broad framework for analysis rather than specific rules. Justice Alito mentioned that the court’s ruling 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 updates. He attended Yale Law School and worked as a lawyer for 14 years before beginning his career at The New York Times in 2002. For more information about Adam Liptak, visit his profile.
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