Supreme Court Unanimously Eases Disability, Sexual Orientation Discrimination Standards

The U.S. Supreme Court recently issued several unanimous rulings addressing discrimination standards under federal law. In A.J.T. v. Osseo Area Schools, the Court ruled that disabled students do not face a higher burden of proof in discrimination cases than other disabled individuals, clarifying that all discrimination suits under the Americans with Disabilities Act should be evaluated by the same standard, which could ease the way for families seeking accommodations in schools. Similarly, in Ames v. Ohio Department of Youth Services, the Court held that heterosexual employees alleging discrimination do not have to meet a higher evidentiary burden than marginalized groups under Title VII, rejecting the notion of a “background circumstances” rule that imposed stricter standards on majority-group plaintiffs. These decisions reinforce the principle that discrimination protections apply equally regardless of majority or minority status. Meanwhile, the Court is expected to rule soon on cases involving LGBTQ+ healthcare and preventive services under the Affordable Care Act, which could significantly affect access to gender-affirming care and no-cost preventive services like PrEP, with potential for the Trump administration and Republican states to impose new restrictions. These forthcoming rulings are seen as pivotal for LGBTQ+ rights and healthcare coverage nationwide.