Supreme Court Affirms Employment Protections for LGBTQ Americans

Today, the U.S. Supreme Court confirmed that LGBTQ Americans are protected from workplace discrimination under federal law. In response to this landmark ruling affirming the rights of LGBTQ employees, GLSEN Executive Director Eliza Byard issued the following statement:

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“Today, the U.S. Supreme Court took a momentous step by affirming federal non-discrimination protections for LGBTQ Americans, including the many LGBTQ educators in K-12 schools who have faced harassment or job loss simply because of who they are. This decision also represents an unexpected and vital dose of hope for LGBTQ youth and all LGBTQ people in a dark and perilous time. Today’s decisive ruling will help ensure that LGBTQ educators can fully participate in school life, free from fear, and help build school communities that encourage respect and support for all students and educators, no matter their sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. This will be an enormous building block for a better future.

“Even with today’s ruling, however, Black LGBTQ people, and particularly Black trans people, continue to face systemic discrimination and white supremacist violence. We continue to urge Congress and the President to pass the Equality Act that will provide clear, consistent, and explicit non-discrimination protections for LGBTQ people—especially Black and indigenous LGBTQ people who are particularly vulnerable—in all aspects of their lives. Protecting Black and indigenous LGBTQ people from discrimination, and making their legal rights a lived reality, is essential to building a safer, better future for us all. We all must keep our shoulders to the wheel.”