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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 made only one significant ruling regarding transgender rights, which is the case of Bostock v. Clayton County.
The ruling, which was made in 2020, determined that a significant civil rights law safeguards gay and transgender employees from 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 dismiss someone based solely on their sexual orientation or gender identity. Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and the court’s four liberal members supported this decision.
The main opinion and two opposing opinions collectively were 168 pages long. President Donald J. Trump told reporters that he agreed with the decision made. He mentioned that although some people were surprised, he respects the ruling and will abide by it. Trump also commented that he found the decision to be strong and impactful.
The justices were tasked with interpreting Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of race, religion, national origin, and sex. They had to determine if the prohibition against discrimination "because of sex" also included protection for gay and transgender employees.
Justice Gorsuch stated that it was indeed true.
The writer stated that when an employer dismisses someone for being homosexual or transgender, they are essentially firing them for characteristics or behaviors that they would not have had an issue 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 mentioned that there is no evidence to suggest that any member of Congress understood the statutory text in that way when the law was passed in 1964.
A law was put in place to stop discrimination in the workplace based on someone’s sex. The case being discussed focuses on the 14th Amendment’s equal protection clause, which is broadly written and sets up a way to analyze cases instead of strict rules. Justice Alito mentioned in 2020 that the court’s decision in this case could have a significant impact on future constitutional cases.
Adam Liptak is a journalist who focuses on the Supreme Court and writes a column called Sidebar about legal updates. He graduated from Yale Law School and worked as a lawyer for 14 years before starting at The New York Times in 2002. To learn more about Adam Liptak, visit his page on the newspaper’s website
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