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BumRushDaShow

(154,413 posts)
Thu Jun 5, 2025, 10:12 AM Jun 5

Supreme Court sides with woman claiming anti-straight job discrimination

Source: Washington Post

June 5, 2025 at 10:32 a.m. EDT


The Supreme Court on Thursday sided with a straight woman who claimed she faced bias in the workplace after she was passed over for positions that went to gay colleagues. The decision will make it easier for members of majority groups to prove job discrimination claims.

The justices unanimously struck down a standard used in nearly half the nation’s federal circuits that required people who are White, male or not gay to meet a higher bar to prove workplace bias in certain cases than do individuals whose minority communities have traditionally faced discrimination.

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, who wrote the opinion for the court, agreed with Marlean Ames, who argued that it was unconstitutional to have different standards for different groups of people. “Congress left no room for courts to impose special requirements on majority-group plaintiffs alone,” Jackson wrote.

The Supreme Court decision revived Ames’s discrimination claim against the agency overseeing youth corrections facilities in Ohio, sending it back to the lower courts that had ruled she hadn’t met the higher bar of proof.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/06/05/workplace-discrimination-supreme-court-decision/



No paywall (gift)

Link to SCOTUS RULING (PDF) - https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24pdf/23-1039_c0n2.pdf

Article updated.

Original article -

June 5, 2025 at 10:07 a.m. EDT


The Supreme Court on Thursday sided with a straight woman who claimed she faced bias in the workplace after she was passed over for positions that went to gay colleagues. The decision that will make it easier for members of majority groups to prove job discrimination claims.

The justices unanimously struck down a standard used in nearly half the nation's federal circuits that required people who are White, male or not gay to meet a higher bar to prove workplace bias in certain cases than do individuals whose minority communities have traditionally faced discrimination.

Marlean Ames argued it was unconstitutional to have different standards for different groups of people. She asked the Supreme Court to revive her discrimination claim against the agency overseeing youth corrections facilities in Ohio. Lower courts had ruled she hadn't met the higher bar of proof.

"Little did I know at the time that I filed that my burden was going to be harsher than somebody else's burden to prove my case," Ames said in an interview earlier this year. "I want people to try and understand that we're trying to make this a level playing field for everyone. Not just for a White woman in Ohio."
35 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Supreme Court sides with woman claiming anti-straight job discrimination (Original Post) BumRushDaShow Jun 5 OP
Because of course they did. Scrivener7 Jun 5 #1
The decision was unanimous. Ocelot II Jun 5 #2
I just updated the OP with the latest - this is what Justice Jackson wrote BumRushDaShow Jun 5 #3
The decision just sends it back for adjudication mdbl Jun 5 #4
Right. The headline is very misleading. yardwork Jun 5 #14
This message was self-deleted by its author yardwork Jun 5 #15
Please angrychair Jun 5 #19
We'll see how it plays out in the courts mdbl Jun 5 #21
This ruling angrychair Jun 5 #23
Fragile White Syndrome is a new condition wolfie001 Jun 5 #5
Justice Jackson wrote the unanimous opinion for the Court. Does she suffer from this affliction as well? tritsofme Jun 5 #9
Oh great. Now I have to do some reading wolfie001 Jun 6 #32
Fragile White Syndrome has been around since anti discrimination laws first began yellowdogintexas Jun 5 #13
I'm tired of being picked on because I'm white. Hotler Jun 6 #29
Hey! I'm white as well wolfie001 Jun 6 #31
I'm right there with you. Another favorite is, "I'm tired of being picked on because of my liberal views.". Hotler Jun 6 #33
You too! wolfie001 Jun 6 #34
it was a 9-0 decision. all it means is she CAN sue moonshinegnomie Jun 5 #6
I think DEI is officially DOA. Mosby Jun 5 #7
This is the correct decision. WhiskeyGrinder Jun 5 #8
Especially angrychair Jun 5 #20
So...uh...why do you suppose Justice Jackson, who wrote the opinion, joined by Kagan and Sotomayor tritsofme Jun 6 #24
If the shoe was on a minority's foot, would the SC even take the case? wolfie001 Jun 6 #35
Apparently you dont understand the decision. Callie1979 Jun 6 #26
Obviously. Dr. Strange Jun 5 #22
So far, all three SC rulings that I'm seeing today have been unanimous Polybius Jun 5 #10
So you can't take sides against gays either. Am I interpreting correctly? twodogsbarking Jun 5 #11
No. I'll let DU law experts explain, but the headline is misleading. yardwork Jun 5 #16
Ah, the details. The devil isn't even hiding. twodogsbarking Jun 5 #17
To clarify, I don't really think that gays are "anti-straight". They just aren't straight. twodogsbarking Jun 5 #12
Even the courts are fucked angrychair Jun 5 #18
They still have to win the suit Shrek Jun 6 #25
This ruling angrychair Jun 6 #28
"literally" everything? Numerous lawsuits in the past prove otherwise. Callie1979 Jun 6 #27
It's like we haven't lived through the last 250 years angrychair Jun 6 #30

BumRushDaShow

(154,413 posts)
3. I just updated the OP with the latest - this is what Justice Jackson wrote
Thu Jun 5, 2025, 10:43 AM
Jun 5
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, who wrote the opinion for the court, agreed with Marlean Ames, who argued that it was unconstitutional to have different standards for different groups of people. “Congress left no room for courts to impose special requirements on majority-group plaintiffs alone,” Jackson wrote.

mdbl

(6,664 posts)
4. The decision just sends it back for adjudication
Thu Jun 5, 2025, 10:58 AM
Jun 5

It doesn't necessarily mean she'll win the case.

Response to mdbl (Reply #4)

angrychair

(10,712 posts)
19. Please
Thu Jun 5, 2025, 02:52 PM
Jun 5

Everything, literally everything, is already tilted in favor of straight, white people. This court ruling just handed straight white men the right to sue for discrimination every time a woman or person of color gets a job over them. Which means straight white men will continue to get all the best jobs and opportunities for fear of litigation.

mdbl

(6,664 posts)
21. We'll see how it plays out in the courts
Thu Jun 5, 2025, 03:23 PM
Jun 5

It will be interesting to see corporate heads justify some of their stupid sycophantic choices. Anyone can sue, not just straight white people.

angrychair

(10,712 posts)
23. This ruling
Thu Jun 5, 2025, 04:36 PM
Jun 5

Is specific to straight white people. Well to be fair, the courts choose to favor straight white men 250 years ago.

wolfie001

(5,278 posts)
5. Fragile White Syndrome is a new condition
Thu Jun 5, 2025, 10:59 AM
Jun 5

FWS. Expect cash rewards from the racist tRUMP administration. Cheaper, easier and much better odds than playing the Lottery.

tritsofme

(19,258 posts)
9. Justice Jackson wrote the unanimous opinion for the Court. Does she suffer from this affliction as well?
Thu Jun 5, 2025, 12:27 PM
Jun 5

wolfie001

(5,278 posts)
32. Oh great. Now I have to do some reading
Fri Jun 6, 2025, 11:29 AM
Jun 6

I guess that was a shoot first, ask questions later

yellowdogintexas

(23,294 posts)
13. Fragile White Syndrome has been around since anti discrimination laws first began
Thu Jun 5, 2025, 01:56 PM
Jun 5

"I did not get hired/admitted to college because I am Male/white/straight"

I have been hearing that for years.

Hotler

(13,193 posts)
33. I'm right there with you. Another favorite is, "I'm tired of being picked on because of my liberal views.".
Fri Jun 6, 2025, 11:31 AM
Jun 6

Happy Friday.

angrychair

(10,712 posts)
20. Especially
Thu Jun 5, 2025, 02:55 PM
Jun 5

If you are a straight white male. This ruling essentially zeros out all the gains made in the last 250 years for anyone that isn't a straight white man.

tritsofme

(19,258 posts)
24. So...uh...why do you suppose Justice Jackson, who wrote the opinion, joined by Kagan and Sotomayor
Fri Jun 6, 2025, 06:05 AM
Jun 6

Would be so eager to “zero out” all the gains made in the last 250 years for anyone that isn't a straight white man?

That seems like a pretty silly position to take.

wolfie001

(5,278 posts)
35. If the shoe was on a minority's foot, would the SC even take the case?
Fri Jun 6, 2025, 11:35 AM
Jun 6

My 65 years of being a Democrat and watching the destruction of all things sane by the repuke party says "F6ck no."

Polybius

(20,178 posts)
10. So far, all three SC rulings that I'm seeing today have been unanimous
Thu Jun 5, 2025, 01:05 PM
Jun 5

Like I said in another thread, hard to argue with unanimous rulings.

angrychair

(10,712 posts)
18. Even the courts are fucked
Thu Jun 5, 2025, 02:47 PM
Jun 5

This is incredibly disappointing. The audacity to complain when literally EVERYTHING is tilted in favor of white people. It the very reason rules and laws like this were created. Even this lady doesn't realize that she set back equal employment opportunities for women by decades. Now every fucking time a white man doesn't get a job and a woman or Black person does they will sue for "discrimination".

Shrek

(4,265 posts)
25. They still have to win the suit
Fri Jun 6, 2025, 07:02 AM
Jun 6

This ruling just lets them have their day in court, and that's okay.

angrychair

(10,712 posts)
28. This ruling
Fri Jun 6, 2025, 09:56 AM
Jun 6

Will make companies risk adverse. For them it will just be easier to hire the white person over the Black or gay one to avoid legal issues.
This is just one of those "death by a thousand cuts" principles.

Callie1979

(774 posts)
27. "literally" everything? Numerous lawsuits in the past prove otherwise.
Fri Jun 6, 2025, 07:24 AM
Jun 6

Whenever ANY group is given total control, there is always a great chance of abuse of that control. And over the years there have been several where white plaintiffs successfully proved that yes, THEY were discriminated against or harassed by others.
Does that mean its the norm? No of course not. But when it happens it SHOULD be called out & stopped.

angrychair

(10,712 posts)
30. It's like we haven't lived through the last 250 years
Fri Jun 6, 2025, 10:11 AM
Jun 6

I think white people get treated more than fairly. The moment a white person thinks they are not it becomes a SCOTUS case. Can't have a Black or gay people getting a job meant for a straight white person. How dare they.
The problem is that, historically (like since yesterday), LGBTQ+ people and Black and Hispanic and Asian people haven't had the same level of success as white people with the legal system in the United States.
As most things are, this new ruling will more heavily favor the outcome in their favor. Not so much for everyone else.

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