ElPaso's LGBTQ community celebrates Supreme Court's rule
EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14) — In a landmark decision Monday, the Supreme Court has made it illegal for an employer to fire someone because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
With a vote of 6-3, the Supreme Court made the historic decision to extend workplace protections for the LGBT community.
The high court’s decision expands Title VII of the civil rights act. That law made it illegal to discriminate against an employee because of their sex, race, color, national origin, and religion. The Court’s ruling now includes sexual orientation and gender identity in the list of protections.
The El Paso LGBTQ community has been following this case closely since it was first argued before the court in October.
Brenda A Risch with the Borderland Rainbow Center said, the decision was a huge surprise and a huge win, but the fight is far from over.
We’re going to be in the streets and in the courtrooms. We’re going to be everywhere we need to be fighting for healthcare, fighting for racial equality and equity, fighting against sexism in all forms, and homophobia. There is still a lot of ways we’re being discriminated against,” Risch said
Risch said the center has received many reports of El Pasoans who were fired from their job because they were gay or transgender.
Something that is now illegal across the country.
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