What does the Fourteenth Amendment to the US Constitution say about civil rights?

The Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, ratified in 1868, is the cornerstone of civil rights law in the United States. It guarantees all citizens the right to due process of law, equal protection under the law, and forbids any state from denying any person “life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.” The Fourteenth Amendment was intended to prevent states from denying citizens federally-guaranteed privileges and immunities. This means all citizens regardless of race, religion, or gender, are guaranteed certain basic rights. This includes the rights to vote, religious freedom, free speech, the right to a fair trial, and the right to education. The Fourteenth Amendment has been an important part of civil rights law in the United States. In Indiana, it has been used to challenge numerous laws, including school segregation laws. It also has been used to expand protections for individuals with disabilities. Recently, on June 29th 2020, the US Supreme Court, in the case Bostock v. Clayton County, Georgia, held that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits employers from discriminating against employees on the basis of sex, prohibits discrimination against LGBTQ+ individuals. This decision was based on the Fourteenth Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause. In sum, the Fourteenth Amendment is a cornerstone of civil rights law in the United States, and in Indiana. It guarantees all citizens the right to due process and equal protection under the law, and is an ongoing source of development for civil rights law in the country.

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