Supreme Court Unanimously Declares There Is No Such Thing as ‘Good’ Discrimination

On Thursday, the Supreme Court issued a unanimous ruling stating that plaintiffs from “majority” groups cannot face a higher standard of proof for discrimination claims compared to minority plaintiffs. The case involved Marlean Ames, a heterosexual woman who claimed discrimination when she was passed over for a promotion in favor of two less qualified gay candidates. Lower courts had denied her case, requiring her to meet a stringent “background circumstances” criterion that suggested majority group discrimination was rare. However, the Supreme Court deemed this standard unconstitutional and inconsistent with federal civil rights law, which mandates equal protection for all individuals, regardless of group status. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson emphasized that Title VII does not differentiate between majority and minority plaintiffs. In agreement, Justice Clarence Thomas highlighted the issues stemming from judicially-created legal standards, affirming the necessity for clarity in enforcing civil rights laws that protect everyone equally.

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