A civil rights group is urging the Supreme Court to rule that protections against sex discrimination in the workplace be extended to LGBT Americans.
Lambda Legal has appealed to the nation’s top court on behalf of Jameka Evans, a Georgia woman who claims she was harassed and forced from her job as a security officer at Georgia Regional Hospital.
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Evans is arguing the hospital violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act when it discriminated against her because of her sexual orientation and her nonconformity to gender norms of appearance and demeanor, according to Lambda Legal.
The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals rejected Evans’s claim that discrimination based on sexual orientation is a form of sex discrimination. She is now asking the high court to take her case.
“It’s time for LGBT people everywhere to be protected against employment discrimination. The ability to put a roof over your head and feed your family is one of the most basic needs, and freedom from discrimination is an essential part of that,” Greg Nevins, Lambda Legal’s employment fairness project director, said in a statement.
“We need the highest court in the land to review this case, consider the vital rights at stake, and settle the issue once and for all to ensure that getting or keeping a job shouldn’t depend on your sexual orientation.”
Freedom for All Americans said the suit is a potential landmark case for the Supreme Court, which returns for a new term in October.
“LGBTQ people are deserving of the same dignity, respect, and legal protections as every other American, no matter what state they call home,” Katie Belanger, the group’s CEO and president, said in a statement.