Amid uncertain election results, the Supreme Court begins oral arguments in Fulton v. City of Philadelphia, a case that could determine whether taxpayer-funded agencies can turn away LGBTQ+ parents.
Washington, D.C. – Today, as election officials take the time necessary to ensure that every vote is counted, the Supreme Court holds oral arguments in Fulton v. City of Philadelphia, a case that will consider whether government-funded adoption and foster care agencies like Catholic Social Services (“CSS”) have a Constitutional right to discriminate based on their religious beliefs.
In August 2020, Family Equality submitted an amicus brief in support of the City of Philadelphia, outlining the impact and harm of anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination on children in the foster care system.
“Of course, we applaud the time that our election officials are taking to verify the results and ensure that every vote is counted,” says Denise Brogan-Kator, Chief Policy Officer and CEO (Interim). “And in these uncertain times, Family Equality urges the public to focus on what we do know: That today, the Supreme Court will hear a critically-important case that endangers hundreds of thousands of youth in the child welfare system and could create a nationwide license to discriminate.”
Fulton v. City of Philadelphia will also be one of the first cases that Justice Amy Coney Barrett, a clear opponent to LGBTQ+ equality, will hear. Under the Trump Administration, over 220 federal judges, including three on the US Supreme Court, have been confirmed—many of whom have anti-equality records that often disregard established precedent.
“This case is a reminder that no matter what happens in the 2020 Presidential election, Family Equality’s efforts to protect and support LGBTQ+ families in all levels and every branch of government remain critical,” says Brogan-Kator. “And that is something that LGBTQ+ families can count on.”
To read more about the case, click here.
About Family Equality
Family Equality advances legal and lived equality for LGBTQ+ families, and for those who wish to form them, through building community, changing hearts and minds, and driving policy change. Family Equality believes every LGBTQ+ person should have the right and opportunity to form and sustain a loving family, regardless of who they are or where they live. Learn more at familyequality.org.
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