LGBTQ Rights Archives

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SCOTUS: How Same-Sex Marriage Became Legal (Obergefell v. Hodges)

Same-sex marriage was legalized throughout the entire United States just five years ago, in the case of Obergefell v. Hodges (2015). Prior to this ruling, it was only legal in 36 states plus Washington, D.C., and Guam. With this landmark civil rights case, the Supreme Court ruled that the right to marry is guaranteed to same-sex couples under the equal protection and due process clauses of the 14th Amendment.

SCOTUS: Civil Rights for All LGBTQ Americans (Bostock v. Clayton County)

On June 15, 2020, the Supreme Court made a landmark decision regarding LGBTQ rights. In a 6-3 decision, the Court ruled that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 also protected LGBTQ Americans from workplace discrimination.

The case was Bostock v. Clayton County, where Bostock was fired from the juvenile court system in Georgia after soliciting interest in a gay baseball league at work. Bostock claimed that this was violating the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The Court sided with him, ruling against Clayton County of Georgia.