Gay Rights and the Constitution
The Supreme Court has greatly expanded LGBTQ+ rights in its constitutional cases, including a decision that the Fourteenth Amendment requires marriage equality. Since then, the highest federal court in the country has weighed in on about a dozen other LGBTQ rights-related cases, which have had powerful impacts on the gay rights movement and the lives of LGBTQ Americans. SCOTUS's first gay rights case focused on the First Amendment—specifically, how the rights of free speech and press apply to homosexual content. LGBTQ rights in the United States
Many LGBTQ rights in the United States have been established by the United States Supreme Court, which invalidated state laws banning protected class recognition based upon homosexuality, struck down sodomy laws nationwide, struck down Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act, made same-sex marriage legal nationwide, and prohibited employment. Fourteenth Amendment , Section All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. Sexual Rights and the Constitution
The Court rejected arguments that the state amendment protected the freedom of association rights of landlords and employers, or would conserve resources for fighting discrimination against other groups. Central to this evolution is the U. Constitution, a document designed to ensure liberty and justice for all citizens. 
Sexual Orientation
First Amendment The First Amendment protects citizens from legislative infringement on religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition. Added to the U.S. Constitution within the Bill of Rights in , the amendment’s guaranteed freedoms remain relevant today. Queer discrimination and the rights of LGBTQ+ individuals largely rest on the interpretation of the First Amendment’s protection of. The issue: Does the Constitution protect homosexual conduct? What limitations does the Constitution place on ability of states to treat people differently because of their sexual orientation?
Evolution of LGBTQ+ Rights
This Amendment protects the right to organize and urge government to end discrimination, to recognize lesbian and gay relationships, and to adopt laws prohibiting discrimination in the private sector. Gay and lesbian rights in the United States have been significantly influenced by Supreme Court rulings, particularly regarding issues of marriage, privacy, and discrimination. Although the Constitution does not explicitly protect individuals based on sexual orientation, the due process and equal protection clauses of the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments have been interpreted to provide some legal protections against discrimination.
The Rights of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender People
Gay and lesbian rights in the United States have been significantly influenced by Supreme Court rulings, particularly regarding issues of marriage, privacy, and discrimination. Although the Constitution does not explicitly protect individuals based on sexual orientation, the due process and equal protection clauses of the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments have been interpreted to provide some. . 
LGBTQ+ Legal Rights Under the Constitution
(The provision, Amendment 2, effectively repealed anti-discrimination laws in Boulder, Aspen, and Denver.) By a 6 to 3 vote, the Court found the Colorado provision to lack a rational basis, and therefore to violate the equal protection rights of homosexuals. Justice Kennedy's opinion concluded Amendment 2 was "born of animosity" toward gays. .
Supreme Court Rulings That Have Shaped Gay Rights in America
Explore the evolution of LGBTQ+ rights in the U.S. through a legal timeline centered on the Constitution’s role in securing equality and justice for all citizens. .