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Supreme Court Signals Support for Straight Woman in Reverse Discrimination Case

Justices appear aligned in questioning the legality of higher evidentiary burdens for majority-group plaintiffs under Title VII.

Marlean Ames sits for a portrait at the law office of Edward Gilbert, her lawyer, in Akron, Ohio, U.S. February 13, 2025.
Marlean Ames in Akron, OH.
FILE - The Supreme Court is seen in the distance, framed through columns of the U.S. Senate at the Capitol in Washington, Feb. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)
Marlean Ames sits with Edward Gilbert, her lawyer, during a meeting in his law office in Akron, Ohio, U.S., February 13, 2025. REUTERS/Megan Jelinger/File Photo

Overview

  • The case, Ohio Department of Youth Services, challenges a Sixth Circuit rule requiring majority-group plaintiffs to meet additional evidentiary standards in discrimination cases.
  • Marlean Ames, a straight woman, alleges she was denied a promotion and later demoted in favor of less-qualified LGBTQ+ colleagues due to her sexual orientation.
  • During oral arguments, justices from both ideological wings expressed skepticism about the fairness of applying different standards based on a plaintiff's identity.
  • The Biden administration and conservative legal groups both support Ames, arguing that Title VII prohibits discrimination against all individuals regardless of majority or minority status.
  • A ruling is expected by June and could reshape employment discrimination law by eliminating the 'background circumstances' requirement for majority-group plaintiffs.