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A significant ruling in 2020 has set a precedent for protecting the rights of transgender workers. This decision carries significant importance.
The Supreme Court has issued just one significant ruling regarding the rights of transgender individuals, which is known as Bostock v. Clayton County.
The ruling from 2020 determined that a significant civil rights law safeguards gay and transgender employees from discrimination in the workplace.
Justice Neil M. Gorsuch, appointed by President Donald J. Trump, stated in a 6-3 ruling that it is against the law for an employer to terminate an employee solely for being gay or transgender. Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., along with the court’s liberal wing at that time, also supported this decision.
The combined majority opinion and two dissents totaled 168 pages. President Donald J. Trump told reporters that he agreed with the ruling after reading it. He mentioned that some people were caught off guard by the decision, but ultimately, they have made their ruling and it must be respected. Trump also described the decision as significant and impactful.
The justices were tasked with interpreting Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, a law that prohibits discrimination in employment based on race, religion, national origin, and sex. They needed to determine if the provision prohibiting discrimination based on sex also covered gay and transgender employees, affecting millions of workers.
Justice Gorsuch stated that it was true.
The writer stated that when an employer fires someone for being homosexual or transgender, they are essentially discriminating against traits or actions that would not be questioned if the individual belonged to a different gender.
Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. disagreed with the argument, stating that it was incredibly arrogant and unsupported. He noted that there was no evidence to suggest that any member of Congress understood the law in that way when it was passed in 1964.
A law was passed to prevent discrimination in the workplace based on gender. The case being discussed on Wednesday is about the 14th Amendment’s equal protection clause, which is broad and sets up a framework for analysis rather than strict rules. Justice Alito mentioned in 2020 that the court’s ruling could have an impact on future constitutional cases.
Adam Liptak is a journalist who specializes in covering the Supreme Court and writing 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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