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Fighting for Equality: Legal Challenges and Social Impacts

Explore the legal battles around exclusion of LGBTQ+ individuals in various sectors, including military, adoption, and marriage. Understand the constitutional claims, precedents, and balancing state interests affecting sexual orientation rights. Discover the impact of homophobic language and societal perceptions on gender, sex, and sexual orientation.

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Fighting for Equality: Legal Challenges and Social Impacts

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  1. Romer v Evans:The story by the National Legal Foundation

  2. Suzanne Goldberg: Lambda attorney; counsel in Romer

  3. Most Constitutionally Vulnerable? • Exclusion from US Armed Forces 21 • Only homo sodomy is criminalized 38 • Only homo solicitation is criminalized 33 • Exclusion from opp’ty to adopt children 11 • Exclusion from city’s police/firefighters 23 • Exclusion from legal marriage and its consequences 15

  4. Bases for constitutional Claims • Equal Protection • Due Process

  5. Rational Basis • High deference to state re • Interest • “fit” • Economic and social legislation • Physicians v chiropractors • Almost always upheld, but see • Reed • Romer

  6. Strict Scrutiny • Law must be necessary to a compelling state interest • Race

  7. Intermediate Scrutiny • Law must be substantially related to an important government interest • (VMI formulation): justification must be “exceedingly persuasive” • Sex/Gender

  8. Choosing a level of scrutiny • Classification • Treat likes alike • Conduct (modern) not status criteria • Exclude use of prejudice • Class • Exclude use of subordination • Rawls/ “veil of ignorance” • Avoid conflict of organized social groups • Carolene-products • Discrete and insular minorities/ lack of political power • Fundamental Interest??

  9. Due Process: Interest protected by Substantive DP? • Importance to individual? • Part of a “right of privacy”? • Link to specific constitutional rights? • Fourth Amendment • First Amendment • Deeply rooted in history and tradition? • Implicit in the concept of ordered liberty?

  10. Balancing State Interests • Level of scrutiny • What state interests advanced by law? • Legitimate? • How important? • “Fit” between law and interest • Overinclusiveness and underinclusiveness

  11. Key precedents re sexual orientation • Hardwick • Romer

  12. Gender, Sex, Sexual Orientation • What qualities do gays/lesbians have? • Dress • Self-presentation? • Activities • Cultural Interests

  13. Gender, Sex, Sexual Orientation • Gender expectations and children? • Dress • Self-presentation? • Activities • Cultural Interests

  14. Homophobic Language??

  15. Ninia Baehr & Genora Dancel

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