Hello from SCOTUS, where the justices are hearing one of the blockbuster cases of the term: Whether and when Title VII's protections against "sex"-based discrimination in the workplace covers LBGBTQ employees.
Here's @dominicholden with background: buzzfeednews.com/article/domini…
Here's @dominicholden with background: buzzfeednews.com/article/domini…
There are two sets of cases being heard today, one about workers fired because of their sexual orientation, and the other about transgender workers. The Justice Department will be arguing against Title VII's protections against "sex" discrimination applying in these situations.
Arguments are expected to take at least two hours, divided between the two sets of cases. Here's who is arguing:
Spotted in the hallway at SCOTUS giving hugs to people waiting: @Lavernecox, who was just on @AM2DM talking about the Title VII cases being argued today buzzfeed.com/michaelblackmo…
Arguments just ended in the SCOTUS Title VII cases. Outside the court, a large demonstration in support of LGBTQ rights with protesters chanting, "No fear, no hate, no license to discriminate" – they marched along the side of the court and blocked the street in front
A few quick takeaways from the Title VII arguments, more to come in a bit:
- Justices on both sides of ideological spectrum are clearly really focused on the issue of bathroom use and the rights of transgender individuals, even as lawyers kept saying this is not that case
- Justices on both sides of ideological spectrum are clearly really focused on the issue of bathroom use and the rights of transgender individuals, even as lawyers kept saying this is not that case
- We only got one question from Kavanaugh two hours of arguments, about whether there was a distinction between the literal v. ordinary meaning of "sex" re: sex discrimination – so not a whole lot to work with in terms of how he's thinking about this
- Setting aside Kavanaugh, the court's conservative arm spent time exploring the arg that this is a matter for Congress, and not the courts, to decide. On the other side of that coin, the liberal arm asked Qs about historical role of courts in protecting rights
In his first big LGBTQ case since joining the Supreme Court last year, Justice Brett Kavanaugh asked just one question during arguments today, giving away little on what he's thinking and whether he'll move to the right of Kennedy on LGBTQ issues
buzzfeednews.com/article/zoetil…
buzzfeednews.com/article/zoetil…
