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HARTFORD, Ct. -- LGBTQ+ groups rallied at City Hall in Hartford Monday night to celebrate a landmark victory for equality in the workplace at the Supreme Court. On Monday, the high court ruled anti-discrimination policies for workers laid out in the Civil Rights Act of 1964 do apply to LGBTQ+ people.
Linda Estabrook, executive director with the Hartford Gay and Lesbian Health Collective, said this decision was a long time coming.
"I think it's really a time for us to share in this moment and savor it," Estabrook said. "And many, many, many people have worked really, really hard for decades to get to this particular point."
Connecticut already has state-level LGBTQ+ protections. Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz, speaking at the rally, called the decision one milestone in a "constant fight for equality."
Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito, in his dissent, claimed the Civil Rights Act protections do not apply to sexual orientation or gender identity.
Last Friday, the Trump administration declared anti-discrimination provisions in the Affordable Care Act do not apply to LGBTQ+ people. Estabrook said the fight for equality has been losing ground over the past few years.
"The current administration in Washington has been working hard to dismantle a lot of those protections," she said.
The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Equality Act in May 2019 to guarantee LGBTQ+ protections in all areas of life. However, as it lacks President Donald Trump's support, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has declined to bring the bill up for a vote.
