court cases

Bradwell v. Illinois

Issue: Illinois' refusal to grant a woman a law license. Legal Basis: Privileges and Immunities Clause. Ruling: The court upheld Illinois's decision. Impact: Set a precedent for gender discrimination in professions. Date: 1872.

Goesaert v. Cleary

Issue: Michigan law prohibiting women from bartending unless related to the owner. Legal Basis: Rational basis for regulation of morals. Ruling: The law was upheld. Impact: Affirmed gender-specific laws. Date: 1948.

Weeks v. Southern Bell Telephone & Telegraph Company

Issue: Refusal to promote a woman based on sex. Legal Basis: Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. Ruling: The court ruled in favor of Weeks. Impact: Early enforcement of Title VII for sex discrimination. Date: 1969.

Diaz v. Pan Am. World Airways, Inc.

Issue: Refusal to hire male flight attendants. Legal Basis: Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. Ruling: The court ruled against gender discrimination. Impact: Reinforced gender equality in hiring practices. Date: 1971.

Reed v. Reed

Issue: Law favoring men as estate administrators. Legal Basis: Equal Protection Clause. Ruling: The law was struck down. Impact: First time sex discrimination invalidated under the Constitution. Date: 1971.

U.S. v. Virginia

Issue: Male-only admissions policy at Virginia Military Institute. Legal Basis: Equal Protection Clause. Ruling: The court ruled that the policy violated the Equal Protection Clause. Impact: Reinforced intermediate scrutiny for gender-based policies. Date: 1996.

Price Waterhouse v. Hopkins

Issue: Adverse employment decisions based on gender stereotypes. Legal Basis: Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. Ruling: The court sided with Hopkins, stating that gender stereotypes could not justify discrimination. Impact: Expanded protections against gender stereotyping. Date: 1989.

Jespersen v. Harrah’s Operating Company, Inc.

Issue: Grooming policy requiring women to wear makeup. Legal Basis: Title VII. Ruling: The court upheld the grooming policy. Impact: Upheld employer's grooming standards. Date: 2006.

Romer v. Evans

Issue: Prohibition of protections for LGBTQ individuals. Legal Basis: Equal Protection Clause. Ruling: The Colorado amendment was struck down. Impact: Established requirement for a rational basis in discrimination laws. Date: 1996.

Lawrence v. Texas

Issue: Criminalization of consensual same-sex conduct. Legal Basis: Due Process Clause. Ruling: The law was declared unconstitutional. Impact: Expanded LGBTQ rights. Date: 2003.

Obergefell v. Hodges

Issue: Marriage rights for same-sex couples. Legal Basis: Fourteenth Amendment. Ruling: The court ruled in favor of same-sex marriage. Impact: Recognized marriage equality. Date: 2015.

Bostock v. Clayton County, Georgia

Issue: Workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation. Legal Basis: Title VII. Ruling: The court ruled that Title VII protections extend to sexual orientation. Impact: Interpreted Title VII as protecting against sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination. Date: 2020.

B.P.J. v. West Virginia State Board of Education

Issue: Law prohibiting transgender students from participating in sports. Legal Basis: Equal Protection Clause. Ruling: The court ruled in favor of B.P.J. Impact: Reinforced rights of transgender students. Date: 2024.

Roe v. Wade

Issue: Woman's right to abortion. Legal Basis: Due Process Clause. Ruling: The court ruled in favor of a woman's right to choose prior to viability. Impact: Established right to abortion prior to viability. Date: 1973.

Planned Parenthood v. Casey

Issue: Regulation of abortion. Legal Basis: Due Process Clause. Ruling: The court upheld the right to an abortion but modified some regulations. Impact: Modified Roe by removing the trimester framework. Date: 1992.

Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization

Issue: Constitutionality of abortion rights. Legal Basis: Substantive Due Process. Ruling: The court overturned Roe and Casey. Impact: Overturned Roe and Casey, rejecting abortion as a constitutional right. Date: 2022.