An estimated 500 demonstrators converged on Capitol Hill in Washington on Tuesday morning prior to the opening arguments regarding two key LGBTQ employment discrimination cases. The protest happened on the same day that the Supreme Court heard opening arguments in two seminal cases that are crucial to LGBTQ employment rights.Both cases examine lower court’s interpretations of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. At issue is whether the words “because of sex” apply to sexual orientation and gender identity.
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More than 100 protestors were ultimately arrested after protestors moved to the street in front of the U.S. Supreme Court, sat down and refused to leave. The protest was planned by the non-profit group Housing Works, based in New York City. Housing Works is a non-profit that bills itself as “a healing community of people living with and affected by HIV/AIDS,” whose mission states they aim “to end the dual crises of homelessness and AIDS through relentless advocacy, the provision of lifesaving services, and entrepreneurial businesses that sustain our efforts.”
