Haroon Shaikh ’22

The Supreme Court ruling concerning a civil rights law was a huge victory for members of the LGBTQ community. The Supreme Court ruled that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects LGBTQ members from workplace discrimination. This is since the ruling declared that discrimination based of sex also applies to sexual orientation and preferred gender. The Supreme Court in a 6 to 3 ruling concluded that it was against the law to fire someone for simply being part of the LGBTQ community.  Before this decision it was legal in more than half the states for an employer to fire someone simply because they were a part of the LGBTQ community.

A surprise was the way that Trump’s Supreme Court nominee Niel Gorusch voted. He voted to protect members of the LGBTQ community. This vote contradicts the Trump’s administration’s latest actions regarding the LGBTQ community.  Actions such as banning transgenders from the military and rolling back protextions against discrimination in the helathcare system which were designed to protect membersof the LGBTQ community. Another Obama-era rule was under threat that would allows adoption agencies to turn away same-sex couples from adopting simply because of their sexual orientation.

These laws are incredibly important and protect the LGBTQ community.  People in the LGBTQ community are at higher risks of committing suicide due to discrimination like this.  Studies have shown that in the transgender community risk of suicide is extremely high due to discrimination, family rejection, and other forms of people not accepting who they are. LGBTQ youth are also 120 percent more likely to face homelessness and 40 percent of homelessness youth is part of the LGBTQ community. 

Homophobia and transphobia are often depicted as a personal choice. However the reality is when lawmakers and individuals act out their prejudice and discrimination it costs people their lives. No one should have to face the hardships and discrimination that the LGBTQ community faces it is simply not moral.