{"id":2912,"date":"2018-07-30T18:11:00","date_gmt":"2018-07-30T18:11:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/democrats.org\/blog\/2018\/07\/30\/kavanaugh-would-threaten-lgbtq-rights\/"},"modified":"2024-05-23T20:18:38","modified_gmt":"2024-05-23T20:18:38","slug":"kavanaugh-would-threaten-lgbtq-rights","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/democrats.org\/news\/kavanaugh-would-threaten-lgbtq-rights\/","title":{"rendered":"Kavanaugh Would Threaten LGBTQ Rights"},"content":{"rendered":"<p dir=\"ltr\"><span id=\"m_-624186073441217458gmail-docs-internal-guid-bee927b4-ec5a-3778-7fd0-c1711a12e3f8\">The Republican Party will score a major victory in its decades-long campaign to legalize discrimination against LGBTQ people if Judge Kavanaugh takes a seat on the Supreme Court. The LGBTQ community has much as stake, and Kavanaugh would threaten LGBTQ rights for decades to come. <\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span id=\"m_-624186073441217458gmail-docs-internal-guid-bee927b4-ec5a-3778-7fd0-c1711a12e3f8\">Kavanaugh has repeatedly supported undermining discrimination protections under the guise of religious beliefs.<\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"margin-left:36pt;\"><span id=\"m_-624186073441217458gmail-docs-internal-guid-bee927b4-ec5a-3778-7fd0-c1711a12e3f8\"><a data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/www.vox.com\/2018\/7\/10\/17553548\/brett-kavanaugh-religious-liberty-scotus-supreme-court&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1533060348088000&amp;usg=AFQjCNE57bmFcdP8rO5oXBBjqRky6kGDOw\" href=\"https:\/\/www.vox.com\/2018\/7\/10\/17553548\/brett-kavanaugh-religious-liberty-scotus-supreme-court\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Vox<\/a><\/span>: &ldquo;He has, for example, argued fervently against the federal Health and Human Services mandate that required religious employers to cover employee&rsquo;s contraception.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span id=\"m_-624186073441217458gmail-docs-internal-guid-bee927b4-ec5a-3778-7fd0-c1711a12e3f8\">Anti-LGBT groups,including the Family Research Council &#8211;a designated hate group, praised Kavanaugh&rsquo;s support of discrimination based on religious beliefs. <\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"margin-left:36pt;\"><span id=\"m_-624186073441217458gmail-docs-internal-guid-bee927b4-ec5a-3778-7fd0-c1711a12e3f8\"><a data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/www.frc.org\/pressrelease\/family-research-council-welcomes-judge-brett-kavanaugh-as-pres-trumps-supreme-court-nominee&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1533060348088000&amp;usg=AFQjCNGT_xuYEmLdhwEaRrCgf-5MBR6jMg\" href=\"https:\/\/www.frc.org\/pressrelease\/family-research-council-welcomes-judge-brett-kavanaugh-as-pres-trumps-supreme-court-nominee\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Family Research Council<\/a><\/span>: &ldquo;Judge Kavanaugh has a long and praiseworthy history&hellip; We saw a growing assault on religious freedom and the courts became a battleground for secularists seeking to remove faith from the public square. Judge Kavanaugh resisted this trend in at least two instances.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span id=\"m_-624186073441217458gmail-docs-internal-guid-bee927b4-ec5a-3778-7fd0-c1711a12e3f8\">Kavanaugh dodged describing his own definition of marriage and failed to answer whether the courts should issue the definition. <\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"margin-left:36pt;\"><span id=\"m_-624186073441217458gmail-docs-internal-guid-bee927b4-ec5a-3778-7fd0-c1711a12e3f8\"><a data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/www.cleveland.com\/nation\/index.ssf\/2018\/07\/lgbtq_advocates_fear_kavanaugh.html&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1533060348088000&amp;usg=AFQjCNFfOXoSSZGw6Hz6-3djQcIHRW1Omw\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cleveland.com\/nation\/index.ssf\/2018\/07\/lgbtq_advocates_fear_kavanaugh.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Associated Press<\/a><\/span>: &ldquo;At Kavanaugh&#39;s 2006 confirmation hearing for his current post as an appellate judge &#8212; before the Supreme Court ruling that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide &#8212; he was asked whether he had a view on the definition of marriage and whether courts or legislatures should establish it. Kavanaugh didn&#39;t say, instead responding to a part of the question about judicial restraint.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span id=\"m_-624186073441217458gmail-docs-internal-guid-bee927b4-ec5a-3778-7fd0-c1711a12e3f8\">So much could be at stake with Kavanaugh&rsquo;s nomination:<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"margin-left:36pt;\"><span id=\"m_-624186073441217458gmail-docs-internal-guid-bee927b4-ec5a-3778-7fd0-c1711a12e3f8\">Marriage Equality: <\/span>Though thought to be settled, anti-LGBTQ state officials <a data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/www.metroweekly.com\/2018\/05\/kim-davis-lawyer-overturning-gay-marriage\/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1533060348088000&amp;usg=AFQjCNFYFOza6OO20x2c58J1iUS9SiLXHg\" href=\"https:\/\/www.metroweekly.com\/2018\/05\/kim-davis-lawyer-overturning-gay-marriage\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">like Kim Davis<\/a> could eventually be given the authority to refuse the issuance of marriage licenses to LGBTQ couples due to their religious objection.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"margin-left:36pt;\"><span id=\"m_-624186073441217458gmail-docs-internal-guid-bee927b4-ec5a-3778-7fd0-c1711a12e3f8\">Business Discrimination: <\/span>The same organization that brought the Masterpiece Cakeshop case is challenging <a data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/azcapitoltimes.com\/news\/2018\/07\/10\/arizona-business-takes-case-against-anti-discrimination-ordinance-to-az-supreme-court\/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1533060348088000&amp;usg=AFQjCNFrbdOuWpN2nmV0nKpxdTkzFMyGNw\" href=\"https:\/\/azcapitoltimes.com\/news\/2018\/07\/10\/arizona-business-takes-case-against-anti-discrimination-ordinance-to-az-supreme-court\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">other protections<\/a> that prevent businesses from discriminating against LGBTQ people. A more conservative court could use one of these cases to set an extreme precedent protecting such discrimination.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"margin-left:36pt;\"><span id=\"m_-624186073441217458gmail-docs-internal-guid-bee927b4-ec5a-3778-7fd0-c1711a12e3f8\">Adoption Rights: <\/span>Currently, nine states allow state-funded adoption agencies to discriminate against LGBTQ potential parents. With legal challenges against those discriminatory laws popping up in courts across the country, <a data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/article\/us-usa-court-baker-adoption\/gay-adoption-fight-looms-after-u-s-supreme-courts-cake-ruling-idUSKCN1J02X1&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1533060348088000&amp;usg=AFQjCNHGIXwxejxn9uvcDdDzjTNPxzMZ9w\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/article\/us-usa-court-baker-adoption\/gay-adoption-fight-looms-after-u-s-supreme-courts-cake-ruling-idUSKCN1J02X1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">it is likely that the Supreme Court<\/a> will need to be the final arbitor of LGBTQ potential parents ability to adopt children.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"margin-left:36pt;\"><span id=\"m_-624186073441217458gmail-docs-internal-guid-bee927b4-ec5a-3778-7fd0-c1711a12e3f8\">Transgender Military Members Ability to Serve: <\/span>Kavanaugh&rsquo;s views on expansive presidential power <a data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/www.cleveland.com\/nation\/index.ssf\/2018\/07\/lgbtq_advocates_fear_kavanaugh.html&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1533060348088000&amp;usg=AFQjCNFfOXoSSZGw6Hz6-3djQcIHRW1Omw\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cleveland.com\/nation\/index.ssf\/2018\/07\/lgbtq_advocates_fear_kavanaugh.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">indicate he is likely to rule<\/a> that President Trump&rsquo;s decision to exclude transgender people from our military is within his authority as Commander-in-Chief.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span id=\"m_-624186073441217458gmail-docs-internal-guid-bee927b4-ec5a-3778-7fd0-c1711a12e3f8\">LGBTQ civil rights protections could be limited or eliminated:<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"margin-left:36pt;\"><span id=\"m_-624186073441217458gmail-docs-internal-guid-bee927b4-ec5a-3778-7fd0-c1711a12e3f8\">Employment Discrimination: <\/span>Currently, three U.S. appellate circuit courts weighed in on whether the Civil Rights Act protects LGBTQ people from <a data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/www.cnbc.com\/2018\/07\/06\/experts-trump-scotus-pick-could-imperil-gay-lesbian-work-rights.html&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1533060348088000&amp;usg=AFQjCNF1D8SnAWZMLjCTI84ymxTIFe3-WQ\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cnbc.com\/2018\/07\/06\/experts-trump-scotus-pick-could-imperil-gay-lesbian-work-rights.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">employment discrimination<\/a>. This &ldquo;circuit split&rdquo; could force the Supreme Court to decide on the issue, putting LGBTQ workers&rsquo; rights at risk.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"margin-left:36pt;\"><span id=\"m_-624186073441217458gmail-docs-internal-guid-bee927b4-ec5a-3778-7fd0-c1711a12e3f8\">Health Care Discrimination: &nbsp;<\/span>Trump&rsquo;s Department of Health and Human Services issued rules earlier this year allowing discrimination against LGBTQ people on the basis of &ldquo;moral objection.&rdquo; Litigation involving those rules, in addition to other discriminatory actions &nbsp;against LGBTQ people (<a data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/www.metroweekly.com\/2018\/06\/lambda-legal-sues-alaska-for-denying-health-care-coverage-to-transgender-state-employee\/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1533060348088000&amp;usg=AFQjCNEnpH6VJFcRGsOuO1eYTvc3ICk_VA\" href=\"https:\/\/www.metroweekly.com\/2018\/06\/lambda-legal-sues-alaska-for-denying-health-care-coverage-to-transgender-state-employee\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">particularly transgender people<\/a>), could be brought up to the Supreme Court in upcoming terms.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Republican Party will score a major victory in its decades-long campaign to legalize discrimination against LGBTQ people if Judge Kavanaugh takes a seat on the Supreme Court. The LGBTQ community has much as stake, and Kavanaugh would threaten LGBTQ rights for decades to come. &nbsp; Kavanaugh has repeatedly supported undermining discrimination protections under the <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":263,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2912","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-press-release"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Kavanaugh Would Threaten LGBTQ Rights - Democrats<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/democrats.org\/news\/kavanaugh-would-threaten-lgbtq-rights\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Democrats\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2018-07-30T18:11:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-05-23T20:18:38+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Claire DePree\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Claire DePree\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/democrats.org\/news\/kavanaugh-would-threaten-lgbtq-rights\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/democrats.org\/news\/kavanaugh-would-threaten-lgbtq-rights\/\",\"name\":\"Kavanaugh Would Threaten LGBTQ Rights - 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