NEW YORK – On the heels of Pride Month and the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots, New York Attorney General Letitia James along with a coalition of 21 Attorneys General from around the nation, including New Jersey and Pennsylvania, filed an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court arguing that federal anti-discrimination laws protect LGBTQ+ individuals in the workplace. The coalition is filing the brief in three cases pending before the court that involve workers being fired based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.
“Fifty years after Stonewall, members of the LGBTQ+ community are still fighting for equal rights in every aspect of their lives,” said James. “No one should be singled out or discriminated against in this country — not for their race, ethnicity, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, or any other reason — which is why we are going to the Supreme Court to ensure equality for all Americans. My office will continue to do everything in its power to support this community and will work to safeguard individuals in the LGBTQ+ community from being unfairly targeted.”
The brief is being filed in the Supreme Court cases of Altitude Express v. Zarda; Bostock v. Clayton County, Georgia; and R.G. & G.R. Harris
The Attorneys General argue that the prohibition on discrimination based on sex in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 encompasses discrimination based on an individual’s sexual orientation; prohibits employment discrimination against transgender people or on the basis of sexual orientation; and prohibits discrimination against transgender people based on sex stereotyping or their gender identity.
