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What's Going On in SCOTUS & Why Is It So Important for LGBTQ+ Rights?
It's a historic—and crucial—day in the Supreme Court.
If you've been following the news today, then you're probably aware that the Supreme Court is what's on a lot of LGBTQ+ activists minds. But why, you ask? Well, today is a very, very, very important day for LGBTQ+ rights, epecially concerning workplace discrimination.
\u201cIn three historic cases being heard today, SCOTUS will decide whether a person can be fired from their job just because they are LGBTQ. It\u2019s the first time the highest court in the US has ever considered a transgender civil rights case. \n\n#RiseUpOct8\u201d— GLAAD (@GLAAD) 1570543924
\u201cTrans. People. Are. Here. To. Stay.\n\n#RiseUpOct8 #RiseOctober8 #SCOTUS\n\nhttps://t.co/ZVj2cMUy9C\u201d— National Center for Transgender Equality (@National Center for Transgender Equality) 1570560199
\u201c\u201cRemember, you\u2019re making history no matter what happens.\u201d @Lavernecox is with us today. #RiseUpOct8 #SCOTUS\u201d— ACLU of Michigan (@ACLU of Michigan) 1570537785
The Supreme Court just heard cases about whether Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which bans discrimination on the basis of sex, also bans discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. This obviously has huge implications for LGBTQ+ people all over the country who still have little to no legal protections when it comes to the workplace, and one of the most high-profile cases that was heard at SCOTUS today involved a transgender woman named Aimee Stephens, who was fired after she told her employer that she was trans.
A lot is riding on the arguments that were heard today, and as a result, people on the internet quickly got the #RiseUpOct8 hashtag trending to raise awareness.
\u201cI can\u2019t stress this enough. TODAY AFFECTS LITERALLY ANYONE WHO DOESN\u2019T PERFECTLY CONFORM TO GENDER ROLES AND EXPECTATIONS. That means it is not just the trans community\u2019s livelihood on the line; it\u2019s also yours whether you know it now or not. First they came for... #RiseUpOct8\u201d— alex schmider (@alex schmider) 1570548131
\u201c\u201cIt doesn\u2019t begin or end today. We\u2019re just going to keep fighting.\u201d \u2014@chasestrangio \n\n#RiseUpOctober8 #RiseUpOct8\u201d— TransgenderLawCenter (@TransgenderLawCenter) 1570554634
\u201cTrans Americans ARE Americans Being trans is NOT a fireable offense #SCOTUS #RiseUpOct8\u201d— Monica Roberts (@Monica Roberts) 1570554903
\u201cHere\u2019s exactly what\u2019s happening today:\n\nThe Supreme Court is being asked to make it legal to fire someone because we\u2019re LGBTQ.\n\nWe're representing Aimee Stephens, Don Zarda \u2014 and anyone who's ever been told you're not the right "kind" of man or woman.\u201d— ACLU (@ACLU) 1570536660
\u201cToday, the Trump Administration will argue to the Supreme Court that, in our country, it should be legal to fire someone because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. This is wrong\u2014and we must fight back. #RiseUpOct8\u201d— Kamala Harris (@Kamala Harris) 1570544640
\u201c\u201cWhen trans lives are under attack, what do we do? STAND UP, FIGHT BACK! When black lives are under attack, what do we do? STAND UP, FIGHT BACK!\u201d #RiseUpOct8\u201d— Jason Rosenberg (@Jason Rosenberg) 1570543899
