These Four Supreme Court Cases Were Major Victories in 2015
2015 brought in a wave of wins for gender equity. Let’s keep it up in 2016!
1. A Win for the Pregnancy Discrimination Act
Young v. UPS went to the heart of one of the most important workplace protection laws: the Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA). Passed in 1978, the PDA states unequivocally that pregnancy discrimination is a form of sex discrimination, and it requires employers to treat pregnant employees the same as non-pregnant employees who have similar abilities or inabilities to work. This spring, the court ruled 6-3 in favor of Peggy Young, which means that she will be able to present her case to the lower court for a ruling on the merits. Had the court sided with UPS, it could have weakened the PDA’s protection for pregnant workers.
2. Women’s Health Care Protected
King v. Burwell was yet another challenge to the Affordable Care Act. In King, opponents of the health care law argued that tax credits that help low-income people afford health care coverage should only be available to people in states with state-run health care exchanges. If the court had sided with the challengers, millions of women would have lost health care coverage.
3. Voting Rights: Victories and Questions
With a major election cycle gearing up, voting rights are on our minds.The court saw several significant cases this term that addressed gerrymandering and redistricting. Two of the most significant were the linked cases Alabama Legislative Black Caucus v. Alabama and Alabama Democratic Conference v. Alabama. The court of appeals sided with the state. In a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court reversed, sending the plan back to the lower court for a district-by-district review. Although the court did not rule on the constitutionality of the plan, it indicated that a majority of justices believed that at least some of the districts were drawn unconstitutionally. The court’s decision doesn’t ensure that the plan will be declared unconstitutional by the lower court, but it offers a chance for the challengers to make a case.
As we approach the 2016 election next year, these challenges will be front and center.
4. And Last But Not Least, Marriage Equality Prevailed!
Though all of the court’s decisions are significant, this term will be remembered for one particular case: Obergefell v. Hodges. In a landmark decision, the Supreme Court ruled that states must allow same-sex couples to marry and must recognize same-sex marriages validly performed in other states. Justice Anthony Kennedy, writing for the court, relied on earlier cases that had established the right to marry as a fundamental right. Of the same-sex couples seeking to marry, he wrote, “They ask for equal dignity in the eyes of the law. The Constitution grants them that right.”
Everyone deserves equal access to quality education.
Today, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Fisher v. University of Texas, a case that threatens to limit affirmative action in college admissions.
Despite the clear progress women have made over years, ensuring equal opportunity for women in education and the paid workforce remains an elusive goal, in part because women continue to face discrimination.
Affirmative action programs are crucial in helping break down the barriers that confront women and minorities in education and employment!
¿Qué Pasa, USA? The State of the Latina Address
When Ileana Ros-Lehtinen ran for Congress in 1989, she told her opponents that she would run and she would win, because no one would outwork her. She became the first Latina ever elected to Congress.
Today, Latinos are the largest U.S. minority population, yet the United States has never had a Latina Senator. Only 11 Latinas have ever served in Congress.
This Hispanic Heritage Month, we celebrate the incredible strides Hispanic and Latina women such as Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) and Justice Sonia Sotomayor have made, but there’s still work to be done.
Seriously, ¿qué pasa, USA? We can do better!
Learn how you can help more young Latina women run and win elections.
The NYT provides a good explanation of the possible rulings resulting from the Supreme Court hearings today and tomorrow.
Happy 41st birthday to the federal legalization of contraception for unmarried people!
March 22 marks the 41st anniversary of Eisenstadt v. Baird, the Supreme Court decision that established the right of single individuals to possess contraception. That’s right: As recently as 1972, you could go to jail for giving contraception to an unmarried person. And William Baird did. Eight times. In five different states.
This is awesome. Happy Saturday.
(via rewiredotnews)
Source: rhrealitycheck.org
On January 22, 1973, the Supreme Court ruled to uphold women’s reproductive rights in the case of Roe v. Wade.
Reblog if you think a woman and her doctor – not politicians – should make the informed decisions when it comes to her own pregnancy.