14 politicians, celebrities, and CEOs celebrate the landmark Supreme Court ruling protecting LGBTQ workers from discrimination
Connor Perrett
- The Supreme Court ruled in a landmark decision Monday that Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act protects homosexual and transgender workers from discrimination from their employers.
- Political leaders and other well-known figures from Hillary Clinton to Stephen King tweeted their support for the 6-3 ruling on Monday.
- LGBTQ figures like actor Indya Moore and Apple CEO Tim Cook also celebrated the ruling.
Hillary Clinton, the former first lady, secretary of state, and presidential candidate tweeted in support of the landmark decision.
"Being who you are shouldn't be a fireable offense, and today the Supreme Court has affirmed that truth for the LGBTQ community under our laws," she said. "It's a victory for liberty and justice for all. Happy Pride."
Tim Cook, who publicly came out as gay in 2014, said he was "grateful" for the decision.
"LGBTQ people deserve equal treatment in the workplace and throughout society, and today's decision further underlines that federal law protects their right to fairness," Cook, who has served as Apple CEO since 2011, wrote.
Stacey Abrams, who most notably ran an unsuccessful campaign for the Georgia governorship, called the ruling "good news."
"Based in part on a Georgia case, the Supreme Court ruled that Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act covers the #LGBTQ community. Identity matters. Politics matter. Voting matters. A law made real by protest in 1964 protects folks in 2020," Abrams said.
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat, said it was now time for the "hard work of turning these legal protections into a reality."
"The U.S. Supreme Court got it right today prohibiting LGBTQ discrimination in the workplace," Cooper said.
Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar called the decision a "monumental step in the march towards LGBTQ+ equality."
She also called for more work ahead, like passing the Equality Act in Congress, which would specifically "prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex, gender identity, and sexual orientation, and for other purposes."
Author Stephen King said the decision in the Bostock ruling was a "great win" for LGBTQ Americans.
"Be aware that Susan Collins fave Brett Kavanaugh voted against," he tweeted. Trump-appointed Brett Kavanaugh joined conservative Justices, Clarence Thomas, and Samuel Alito in voting against the Monday decision.
Conservative Justice Neil Gorsuch and John Roberts sided with the court's four liberal voices, and Gorsuch wrote the opinion for the majority.
"Pose" actor and model Indya Moore, who is transgender, celebrated the SCOTUS ruling.
"CAN I GET A-PERIOD???!!!!," Moore tweeted.
California Sen. Kamala Harris called the ruling a "major victory for LGBTQ+ rights."
"No one should be discriminated against because of who they are or who they love," Harris, whom Biden is considering to serve as his running mate, said.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom said "the fight for true equality continues."
"You should never have to fear losing your job simply because of who you are or who you love. To see that righted today is an extraordinary thing," Newsom, a Democrat, tweeted.
Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown called the ruling "another hard fought victory" for LGBTQ Americans.
"Five years after the #SCOTUS ruling that guaranteed marriage equality, another hard fought victory in our ongoing fight for justice for LGBTQ Americans. Happy Pride Month," Brown, a Democrat, tweeted.
Former Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg, who is gay, celebrated the ruling but called for the passage of a federal equality act.
"It was only 11 years ago this summer that I took an oath and accepted a job that I would have lost, if my chain of command learned that I was gay. Firing us wasn't just permitted—it was policy," he said.
He added: "The struggle for equality did not end with marriage, nor did it end today. Conversion therapy persists. Black trans women are at grave risk daily. The administration is rolling back protections at every turn."
Former Vice President Joe Biden — the presumptive Democratic Party nominee for president — said the "Supreme Court has confirmed the simple but profoundly American idea that every human being should be treated with respect."
"Today's decision is another step in our march toward equality for all," Biden wrote.
Pop star Taylor Swift called it a "beautiful step forward."
"Thank you to the Supreme Court Justices who voted in favor and all the advocates who have fought so hard for this!" she tweeted.
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said he was "grateful to see this progress and good news."
"The LGBTQ+ community deserves fair and equal treatment just like everyone else, and I'm glad our highest court has affirmed those rights," he wrote.
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