The City of West Hollywood applauds the United States Supreme Court landmark ruling that sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination are prohibited under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.
The vote was 6-to-3 in the case, Bostock v. Clayon County, Georgia. Justice Neil M. Gorsuch wrote the majority opinion. He was joined by Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen G. Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor, and Elena Kagan. The opinion is available by visiting the www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/19pdf/17-1618_hfci.pdf.
“Federal courts have consistently determined that discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity is unlawful under Title VII,” said City of West Hollywood Mayor Lindsey P. Horvath. “Today’s landmark ruling affirms what Federal courts and LGBTQ leaders across the nation have been loudly proclaiming for decades: that no person should be fired or denied employment for being lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender. Today marks an historic win as we celebrate Pride Month in West Hollywood and in cities across the nation.”
The case concerned Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which bans employment discrimination based on race, religion, national origin, and sex. The question before the United States Supreme Court was whether discrimination based on “sex” applies to the multiple millions of lesbian, gay, and transgender workers.
More than 40 percent of residents in the City of West Hollywood identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender. The City of West Hollywood is one of the first municipalities to form a Lesbian and Gay Advisory Board and a Transgender Advisory Board, which each address matters of advocacy in the areas of education, community awareness, and empowerment, and make recommendations to the West Hollywood City Council.
The City of West Hollywood remains in a declared local emergency in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. While Los Angeles County is allowing for a phased reopening of some businesses and activities, coronavirus transmission and COVID-19 disease remain a serious risk. West Hollywood City Hall is currently closed to in-person transactions, but City Hall services remain accessible by phone at (323) 848-6400 and via the City’s website at www.weho.org. City of West Hollywood coronavirus information is available at www.weho.org/coronavirus.
