What Is the SCOTUS Case Laverne Cox Highlighted at the Emmys?

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published 23 September 19

Did you get a close look at Laverne Cox's rainbow clutch on the Emmys red carpet? One side of the Edie Parker design featured the rainbow flag with the words "Oct 8 Title VII Supreme Court," while the other bore the trans flag with the hashtag "#TRANSISBEAUTIFUL." Cox used her red carpet appearance, which she shared with ACLU attorney Chase Strangio, to spotlight a vital upcoming Supreme Court case: On October 8, the court will determine whether Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act prohibits workplace discrimination against LGBTQ+ employees.

Speaking to E! News, Cox explained, "When I got my Emmy nomination this year, my third one, I was like, 'This is weird.' I thought, 'There has to be a bigger reason and I thought, 'OK, maybe it's about this case and maybe it's about raising awareness so that everyone knows our lives are in danger.'"

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"A lot of people aren't talking about this case and it has implications for the LGBTQ community, but it has implications for women and anyone who doesn't conform to someone else's idea of like how you should be a man, or a woman, or both, or neither," she continued.

The ACLU is representing two people in the case: Aimee Stephens, who was fired when she told her boss she was trans, and Donald Zarda, who was fired for being gay. Chase Strangio, accompanying Cox, told E! News, "Everyone should be aware that the administration is asking the Supreme Court to make it legal to fire workers just because they're LGBTQ, and this is actually going to transform the lives of LGBTQ people and people who are not LGBTQ, anyone who departs from sex stereotypes."

On Instagram, Cox captioned photos from the Emmys with the hashtag "#riseupOct8," while Strangio wrote on Twitter, "Queer. Trans. Human. Fight for us at SCOTUS. October 8, 2019." Are you paying attention now?

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Emily Dixon is a British journalist who’s contributed to CNN, Teen Vogue, Time, Glamour, The Guardian, Wonderland, The Big Roundtable, Bust, and more, on everything from mental health to fashion to political activism to feminist zine collectives. She’s also a committed Beyoncé, Kacey Musgraves, and Tracee Ellis Ross fan, an enthusiastic but terrible ballet dancer, and a proud Geordie lass.