Nancy Haque, Executive Director at Basic Rights Oregon

Nancy Haque, Executive Director at Basic Rights Oregon, talks about Monday's 6-3 roiling in the US Supreme Court, which bans LGBTQ employment discrimination.

With brian morton, alicia rubin, chief meteorologist matt hoffman, and sports with josh shelton."

Today the u s supreme court made a landmark ruling protecting lgbtq people from job lgbtq people protecting ruling landmark ruling protecting lgbtq people from job discrimination on a six to three vote.

But court ruled the civil rights act covers gay and transgender workers.

Tonight.

We're joined by nancy haque executive director at basic rights, oregon.

Thanks for being with us tonight.

Thank you for having me.

So initially, what was your reaction to today's decision?

It's such incredible news.

This is a major victory for the lgbtq community.

And it was hard.

Fought.

People have been fighting for this for decades.

Um, the employment nondiscrimination act came up many times in congress.

It never went anywhere.

So this is a major victory or job protections for the lgbtq community.

Were you surprised given the current makeup of the court and what do you think this says about where the country is as it relates to lgbtq rights?

I was surprised that the decision was six to three, but honestly, i don't want to be surprised because the supreme court shouldn't be political.

They should be about upholding the law and the civil rights act protects people, um, under their gender and sexual orientation.

And so i think that that was very important that the court uphold this.

For people in the state of oregon, will they notice a dramatic change in how they are protected or are oregon's raw laws somewhat more protected than there might be in other states?

So in oregon, we've had the oregon equality act since 2007 when it passed here.

So we've had these, um, this kind of protection for 13 years, which is really amazing and more than the majority of states in the country.

But i will say that there is still a major issue for transgender people in particular, transgender women being hired by companies.

And so our message is that we are celebrating today and we also want all companies, especially those in oregon to think about their hiring practices and hiring transgender, all especially transgender women, given this ruling, how does someone go about.

Proving that they weren't in fact fired as a result of their sexual orientation.

Is that a high bar to meet for an average client?

Um, well we, um, in our state we have the bureau of labor and industries fully.

And if you feel like you have discrimination at your workplace, um, based on your sexual orientation or your gender identity, please call bully and they will help you file a complaint.

So, where do you think this issue goes from here?

You've mentioned transgender individuals still have some hurdles to cross.

What is the next challenge you and your organization will be fighting to try and protect people against.

So we're at a really critical time in this country.

The civil rights act of 1964 was passed because there was a major movement by black people in america or basic protections.

Um, based on the color of their skin and black people in this country are still fighting against violence and against discrimination.

And so we know that this ruling is helpful and it's moving our community forward, but we still have a long way to go, to keep fighting, to dismantle systems of oppression and racial injustice.

And so we are going to keep fighting.

Do you have anything specific that you are going to court to fight against?

Is there a general area of law that you feel needs to be addressed right now?

So right now we are, um, involved in a case with the aclu around a non-binary individual in lane county who was denied, um, a nonbinary gender marker.

And so we know that even though we're allowed to have non binary gender markers, in oregon that sometimes judges one judge in particular and still deny.

So they'll try to deny someone's identity.

And so there's still plenty of work to do here, and we'll keep fighting for the transgender community and for queer and trans people of color, especially black, lgbt oregonians.

Thanks nancy haque