Supreme Court ready to spark fury on gay and transgender rights
by Nicholas Rowan
June 07, 2020 12:00 AM The Supreme Court this month will deliver a divisive ruling about whether or not Title VII of the Civil Rights Act protects gay and transgender people from employment discrimination.
The case, Harris Funeral Homes v. EEOC, is a consolidation of several cases involving gay and transgender people arguing that Title VII's prohibition on discrimination on the basis of sex should be expanded. It was heard in October and was the court’s first on the issue since the retirement of Justice Anthony Kennedy, who delivered the decisive swing vote in the landmark 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges case, legalizing gay marriage.
No matter how the court rules, the decision is expected to heighten partisan disagreements. If the court does not extend protections, it will draw the ire of gay and transgender activists. If it rules for them, outcry is expected from religious groups worried that their ability to hire people who align with their beliefs will be restricted.
One of the attorneys who participated in the case, John Bursch, of Alliance Defending Freedom, a legal group that specializes in freedom of speech cases, said that if the Supreme Court rules in favor of protections, the effects will be wide-reaching, particularly for women.
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https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/supreme-court-ready-to-spark-fury-on-gay-and-transgender-rights
