LCLAA Applauds the Supreme Court’s Ruling to Ban Workplace Discrimination

Media Statement
16 June 2020

Washington D.C.- This week the Highest Court in the Land ruled that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 – which forbids job discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or transgender status- also includes and applies to gay and trans people. This injunction is one of the most significant ones for the LGBTQ+ rights movement in recent years, as it will protect the 11.5 million LGB people and 1.5 million transgender people in our nation, from workplace discrimination.

The plaintiffs in this landmark case, Aime Stephens, David Zarda and Gerald Bostock stood up against injustice and discrimination, and their victory will unequivocally contribute to a more inclusive and fair society.

However this ruling also comes days after the White House announced the rollback of Obama era protections that shielded trans people from discrimination in healthcare despite the fact that COVID-19 has disproportionately impacted black, brown and LGBTQ+ people.

We recognize this ruling as a victory, and we also acknowledge that the fight for a more just and equitable society is far from over, therefore we are committed to continue advocating and elevating our voices in pursuit of these values.

“This ruling was long overdue, and it is my hope that this outcome will also have an impact on other laws, thus eradicating discrimination on the basis of sex, from our nation’s education system, housing programs, as well as allowing for equal pay opportunities, and access to healthcare,” said Yanira Merino, LCLAA National President. “We need to continue mobilizing and demanding an end to discriminatory laws that have ostracized the LGBTQ+ community – many of whom are black and brown people- and arbitrarily demoted them to second class citizens. The time for change is now!”

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The Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA) is the leading national organization for Latino(a) workers and their families. LCLAA was born in 1973 out of the need to educate, organize and mobilize Latinos in the labor movement and has expanded its influence to organize Latinos in an effort to impact workers’ rights and their influence in the political process. LCLAA represents the interest of more than 2 million Latino workers in the American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), The Change to Win Federation, independent unions and all their affiliate unions. Visit LCLAA on the web at www.lclaa.org, on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.