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Hollywood Figures Are Overjoyed With The Supreme Court’s Ruling To Protect LGBTQ Workers From Discrimination

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The U.S. Supreme Court unleashed a flurry of rulings on Monday, including a surprising turn from the court’s current conservative-leaning players. In a 6-3 decision (Bostock v. Clayton Country, Georgia) authored by the Trump-nominated Justice Gorsuch, the court ruled that the 1964 Civil Rights Act not only bars sexual discrimination in the workplace but also protects LGBTQ employees from being terminated over their sexual orientation. Gorsuch was joined in the majority ruling by Chief Justice Roberts, along with liberal Justices Ginsburg, Sotomayor, Breyer, and Kagan.

More than a mere Title VII ruling, though, this decision is a federal declaration that recognizes trans people and supports their truth for the LGBTQ community. Although it’s not a unanimous ruling from the court, it’s a resounding one. It’s also worth noting that the 1964 Civil Rights Act’s decades-long roots arrived only following Black freedom movements, which in turn are advancing freedoms for more Americans. So, it’s a timely declaration in light of current Black Lives Matter visibility, and this couldn’t be a more welcome decision during Pride Month, even against a somber U.S. backdrop (and after the Trump administration nixed transgender health protections last week).

Justice Gorsuch explained in the majority opinion why the court determined to evolve Title VII from its original legislative vision and apply it to this case:

“Likely, they weren’t thinking about many of the act’s consequences that have become apparent over the years, including its prohibition against discrimination on the basis of motherhood or its ban on the sexual harassment of male employees. But the limits of the drafters’ imagination supply no reason to ignore the law’s demands.”

“It’s a victory for liberty and justice for all,” tweeted Hillary Clinton in response to the decision. “Happy Pride month.” She was joined by ecstatic Hollywood figures, including The Matrix visionary Lilly Wachowski, Queer Eye‘s Jonathan Van Ness, and Drag Race star Peppermint, along with George Takei, Mandy Moore, and more.