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A significant legal ruling in 2020 set a precedent in favor of protecting the rights of transgender workers. The decision was seen
The Supreme Court has made a significant ruling on transgender rights in the case of Bostock v. Clayton County.
The decision made in 2020 stated 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 that it is illegal for an employer to terminate an employee based solely on their sexual orientation or gender identity. This ruling was supported by Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and four liberal members of the court.
The combined majority opinion and two dissenting opinions totaled 168 pages. President Donald J. Trump told reporters that he acknowledged the ruling and had read the decision. While some people may have been surprised by the outcome, he stated that he respected and would abide by the court’s decision. Trump also described the ruling as a strong one.
The justices were tasked with determining the interpretation of a law, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, that prohibits discrimination in the workplace based on race, religion, national origin, and sex. They needed to decide if the prohibition against discrimination "because of sex" also extended to include gay and transgender employees.
Justice Gorsuch stated that it was the case.
He stated that when an employer terminates an employee for being homosexual or transgender, they are essentially firing them 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 presented, stating that it was 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 mentioned in the text banned discrimination in the workplace based on gender. The case being discussed focuses on the 14th Amendment’s equal protection clause, which is broadly written and has been used to create a framework for analysis rather than strict rules. Justice Alito suggested in 2020 that the court’s ruling in this case could have a significant impact on future constitutional cases.
Adam Liptak is a journalist who focuses on covering news related to the Supreme Court and writes a column called Sidebar that discusses legal updates. He attended Yale Law School and worked as a lawyer for 14 years before starting his career at The New York Times in 2002. Learn more about Adam Liptak’s background and work
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