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What is the significance of the Romer v. Evans case?

Romer v.

Evans was the first Supreme Court case to directly address the issue of gay rights since the 1986 Bowers v.

Hardwick decision, where the Court had upheld laws criminalizing sodomy.

The case challenged Colorado's Amendment 2, which banned any legal protections for gays and lesbians in the state.

In a 6-3 decision, the Supreme Court struck down Amendment 2, ruling that it violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.

The Court found that Amendment 2 was too broad, too narrow, and based on "animosity" toward the affected class - gay, lesbian, and bisexual individuals.

Justice Kennedy's majority opinion stated that the amendment "identifies persons by a single trait and then denies them protection across the board."

The case overturned the Court's previous ruling in Bowers v.

Hardwick, effectively decriminalizing same-sex sexual activity nationwide.

Romer v.

Evans was a landmark civil rights victory, paving the way for greater legal protections and rights for the LGBTQ+ community.

The decision was significant because it prohibited states from enacting laws that discriminated against individuals based on their sexual orientation.

Legal scholars argue the ruling laid the groundwork for the Court's later decisions in Lawrence v.

Texas (2003) and Obergefell v.

Hodges (2015).

Romer v.

Evans demonstrated the Court's willingness to apply a more stringent standard of review to laws targeting LGBTQ+ individuals.

The case was a major victory for gay rights activists, who had long argued that sexual orientation discrimination should be considered unconstitutional.

Romer v.

Evans is considered a pivotal moment in the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement and a significant step towards marriage equality and broader civil rights.

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