The U.S. Supreme court will come to a decision on three cases with one vote. The three cases all have to do with a person revealing to customers or their employer that they are LGBTQ. The debate is over if the LGBTQ community is protected by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act which safeguards employees from discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, and religion.
Should the Court rule against including sexual orientation and gender identity, it would mean 29 states not having explicit protections for LGBTQ discrimination. This would then leave the door open for those who identify within the LGBTQ community to be persecuted.
Thankfully, Colorado is one of the 21 states that does offer worker protections for LGBTQ workers. The Supreme Court’s ruling will not effect that, and if you have experienced discrimination in the workplace, you can file a claim with the Colorado Civil Rights Division. Still, this could be incredibly devastating for those in states that aren’t protected.
The three cases being decided upon are with Aimee Stephens, a transgender woman, and Gerald Bostock and Donald Zarda, both gay men. The ultimate question being decided upon is, “Is it legal to fire someone for being queer or transgender?”
The law is often very confusing in this aspect. The Civil Rights of 1964 was groundbreaking at the time for people of color, but as times change, so do the things that need protecting. Stonewall, the spark to start the LGBTQ movement, was still five years away, and it took 50 years for same-gender marriage to be legalized. The fight for equality is far from over.
One Colorado created a petition and will be hosting a virtual rally to strengthen the voice of the people so that maybe Congress will hear it and protect LGBTQ workers. COVID-19 may have stopped people from going to work, but when they get back, they shouldn’t have to deal with discrimination.
