witch. He wanted to dress as a woman.”. It is my wish that I can continue my work at R.G. The protests reflect that. And, Michael, just to put that in context, this is a very conservative court. The case was reopened and after some decisions following appearance and in court, She won the case as Supreme Court ruled that Civil Rights Law Protects Gay and Transgender Workers. More in Activism. Yeah, so society is moving very fast on these issues. community. Aimee Stephens, who died in May from complications of kidney failure, was fired from her job at R.G. This decision of course, gives you some sense that challenges to Trump administration actions would meet with positive reception at the court. Obituary Read. Aimee Stephens has died, DeadDeath learned about the death on May 13, 2020 — Friends and families of the deceased are broken by the passing of their beloved one. I mean, you have a court where the four more liberal votes are pretty much locked in. She was 59. Because the commitment among very large parts of society to equality for black people, gay people, trans people is moving quite quickly in the direction of equality. Friends, Family and Loved ones has poured out their grieve and condolence to honor the passing away of the deceased. The funeral home owner, a devout Christian who had a strict gender-based dress code, said it wouldn't work out and eventually fired her. Speaking of that kind of atmospheric change, I have noticed that in the protests that we’ve been seeing all over the United States for the past few weeks, that in addition to protesting against racism, demonstrators have taken up the issue of trans rights and calling for the protection of black trans people, for example. Family. So you got a 6-3 decision in the end. Ms. Stephens filed a complaint with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which sued the funeral homes, saying her employer had violated the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Supreme Court plaintiff and transgender civil rights hero Aimee Stephens died on Tuesday following a long bout with kidney disease. But until this Supreme Court ruling on Monday, people were without protection in about half the nation. and G.R. How her death has been covered shows just how important her work truly was. Aimee Stephens’ historic Supreme Court battle for trans rights will continue after her tragic death, with her widow taking over the case ahead of an expected ruling. The question in the case is whether Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 — a landmark piece of civil rights legislation which prohibits discrimination based on race, religion, ethnicity, and sex — applies to sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination. Barbara Marshall Wiki, Biography, Age, Family, Net Worth Cause of Death So how does Monday’s decision affect those? No cause for Stephen's death was given, though she suffered kidney failure in 2014 and had been on dialysis three times a week when the Free Press spoke to her in 2019. Harris Funeral Home in Garden City in 2013, saying in a letter she wished to begin dressing as a woman at work after having done so outside of work for some time. Aimee Stephens' death was announced by the American Civil Liberties Union, which represented her in a lawsuit against R.G. Saul Loeb/Getty Images Supreme Court plaintiff and transgender civil rights hero Aimee Stephens died on Tuesday following a long bout with kidney disease. When … From The New York Times, I’m Michael Barbaro. She was 59. I’m 58 years old, and I live in Redford, Mich. Aimee, I wonder if you could read from the letter that you handed your boss. She died at -home hospice care surrounded by her family. Aimee Stephens Death Stephens died on May 12, 2020, at the age of 59 years. And the question with this court was, the conservative vote they would ordinarily be sure of picking up was that of Justice Anthony Kennedy, who wrote all four of the major gay rights decisions before this one. Aimee leaves behind loving spouse Donna Stephens. Harris Funeral Homes in Detroit, Michigan, after she was fired for informing her boss that she intended to come out as transgender at work. This is “The Daily.”, The decision now is clear from the Supreme Court —. “Aimee did not set out to be a hero and a trailblazer, but she is one, and our country owes her a debt of gratitude for her commitment to justice for all people and her dedication to our transgender community," said Chase Strangio, a member of Stephens’ legal team and an ACLU official. Where does this decision stack up in that history of the decisions that they have made? But she decided to challenge the decision of the funeral home owner, Thomas Rost, who offered her a severance package that she turned down before firing her, in court. Aimee Stephens' death was announced by the American Civil Liberties Union, which represented her in a lawsuit against R.G. — they have issued a ruling that now bans discrimination by employers against transgender individuals and gay individuals. Ms. Stephens was fired from her job after she announced that she would live as a woman. Also leaves brother & sister-in-law’s, nieces, and nephews and her beloved cat Scandel. That’s what I did. Donna Stephens is the wife of Aimee Stephens who fought in the supreme court for the rights of LGBTQ. She was 59. She was in a wheelchair when the court heard arguments last fall. And I told them then that I was raised on a farm, that I was used to hard work, and that I didn’t give up so easily. It wasn’t to just give up and walk away. It is with a deep sense of grief that affected individuals mourn and shared the heartbreaking news on social media. We’re coming on the air because of a major civil rights decision out of the United States Supreme Court. The court heard her case on the same day as two other sexual orientation discrimination cases which involved the firing of gay individuals. Harris in 2008. Yeah, clashes between religious employers and their employees are commonplace, and we’re waiting, even in this term, for a decision on whether employment discrimination laws apply to Catholic school teachers. Aimee enjoyed many hobbies such as painting, woodworking, working on cars, and golfing. REDFORD, MI — A transgender woman advocating for the rights of her community in Michigan died Tuesday in the midst of a landmark Supreme Court case. So she wrote these words. But if you accept severance package, you will have to agree to keep your mouth shut and not ever talk about this to anyone. Aimee Stephens cause of death is still unknown. Sure, they’re nervous about this ruling. Aimee Stephens, whose gender-identity discrimination case is awaiting a ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court, died Tuesday. It said that all across the nation, it’s no longer permissible for employers to fire people simply for being gay or transgender. Right, this letter that she had spent years composing in her head and on paper that told her friends and her colleagues and her boss who she was, was actually what ended up getting her fired. A Michigan woman fighting against transgender discrimination, Aimee Stephens, died this week. This historic case will have a real-world impact for lots and lots of people. And drilling down just a little bit more, the key question is whether the phrase “discrimination because of sex” covers sexual orientation and gender identity. A Michigan woman fighting against transgender discrimination, Aimee Stephens, died this week. Cherished sister Susan Baxley and Kimberly (Jarrad) Taunt. Created by Sol Saks. Guestbook. The Supreme Court issued a huge ruling, a very consequential ruling. She said at the time that she was overwhelmed by the number of people demonstrating on her behalf. It is with incredible sadness and heavy hearts that we announce that our friend and colleague has passed away. She started working at R.G. What can I say? It is with a deep sense of grief that affected individuals mourn and shared the heartbreaking news on social media. Barbara Marshall Wiki, Biography, Age, Family, Net Worth Cause of Death This is a court that gay rights advocates were terrified of. Stephens died of complications from kidney failure at her home in the … and G.R. Overall, their voting will be conservative. Yeah, that’s right, Michael. one of the first police departments in the country to begin defunding and dismantling its operations in the wake of nationwide protests. & G.R. Harris Funeral Homes in 2013 after telling her employer she was transgender. And for the liberals to win, they’d have to pick off at least one of them. Aimee Stephens’ death was announced by the American Civil Liberties Union, which represented her in a lawsuit against R.G. In 2015, the Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage. “Aimee did not set out to be a hero and a trailblazer but she is one, and our country owes her a debt … Harris Funeral … Portrait. Adam Liptak and Jenny Gross contributed reporting. But studies since then have shown that the drugs are unlikely to be effective, despite claims by President Trump, who has repeatedly promoted both of them, and who said he had taken one of them himself. Death of Aimee Stephens. Dee Farmer, the First Transgender Plaintiff in a Supreme Court Case, Mourns the Passing of Aimee Stephens. Aimee Stephens was a transgender woman whose job discrimination case is currently before the Supreme Court, with a decision expected within days. 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