The Ninth Circuit has ruled in favor of two flight attendants who were fired for statements about the Equality Act, in the case Brown v. Alaska Airlines, Inc. This decision is an important victory for employees who speak up about sex-based safety and privacy. WoLF filed an amicus brief in support of the flight attendants.
Amicus briefs are an opportunity for groups or individuals who are not part of a case to weigh in with their arguments or provide additional context. Although the plaintiffs’ legal claims largely center on religious discrimination, WoLF’s brief adds an important feminist context to this case.
Somewhat difficult to understand how this could be argued as religious discrimination or dismissal on the ground of religious belief, or at least that that argument had to be used or was seen as having force. Surely religion has nothing to do with whether a person claims sex-based rights or not, or at least it ought not to be seen as ‘the’ basis for this. Persons with no religious belief/s have a right to speak up about sex-based rights and this decision seems to imply that sex-based rights – or a belief in them – is somehow a matter of religion. This is ironic, as every religion without exception (and those who believe the Dalai Lama is not sexist need to review their position – seriously) is based in anti-women fervour!