Politics Primer: What's At Stake In The Supreme Court
Image credit: The Atlantic
There's a historic fight occurring in the Supreme Court right now, attempting to answer a question of basic rights: Should U.S. workers be protected on the basis of gender identity and sexual orientation under Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act?
In question are workplace discrimination laws, which currently do not include LGBTQ+ workers. Below are a few trusted resources to help decipher the political landscape and explain what is at stake.
Supreme Court Considers Whether Civil Rights Act Protects L.G.B.T. Workers: "Job discrimination against gay and transgender workers is legal in much of the nation, and the wide-ranging arguments underscored the significance of what could be a momentous ruling." (The New York Times)
The LGBTQ-Rights Movement Is Changing, and So Is the Supreme Court: "Ultimately, these cases are most significant because of their moral symbolism: While relatively few people end up suing their employers in federal court, laws help set norms about who is valued and protected in the United States." (The Atlantic)
Supreme Court Seems Divided Over LGBTQ Job Discrimination: And Justice Sonia Sotomayor, another court liberal, asked: 'At what point does a court continue to allow invidious discrimination? We can't deny that homosexuals are being fired just for who they are.'" (NBC News)
What To Know About The LGBTQ+ Rights Supreme Court Cases: "On Tuesday, arguments over whether to extend protections also called into question the definition of the word 'sex' as a basis of discrimination, and whether or not the landmark Civil Rights Act should be changed at all." (Refinery 29)
U.S. Supreme Court Divided on LGBT Employment Protection; Gorsuch could be key: "The nine justices heard two hours of high-profile arguments in three cases that could broaden LGBT rights involving three workers - two gay and one transgender - who sued after being fired by their employers, claiming unlawful discrimination. The Supreme Court has never ruled on transgender rights." (Reuters)
