Can Someone Be Fired For Being Gay? The Supreme Court Will Decide

(The New York Times) The Supreme Court has delivered a remarkable series of victories to the gay rights movement over the last two decades culminating in a ruling that established a constitutional right to same-sex marriage. But in more than half the states someone can still be fired for being gay. Early in its new term on Oct. 8 the court will consider whether an existing federal law Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 guarantees nationwide protection from workplace discrimination to gay and transgender people even in states that offer no protections right now. It will be the courts first case on L.G.B.T. rights since the retirement last year of Justice Anthony M. Kennedy who wrote the majority opinions in all four of the courts major gay rights decisions. And without Justice Kennedy who joined four liberals in the 5-to-4 ruling in the marriage case the workers who sued their employers in the three cases before the court may face an uphill fight.