No. 12-144 IN THE Supreme Court of the United States _________ DENNIS HOLLINGSWORTH, et al., Petitioners, v. KRISTIN M. PERRY, et al., Respondents. _________ On Writ of Certiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit _________ BRIEF FOR AMICI CURIAE LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE ON CIVIL AND HUMAN RIGHTS, BAR ASSOCIATIONS AND PUBLIC INTEREST AND LEGAL SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS IN SUPPORT OF RESPONDENTS _________ ANNE M. RODGERS JONATHAN S. FRANKLIN* LAUREN MILLER ETLINGER FULBRIGHT & JAWORSKI L.L.P. TRAVIS A. TORRENCE 801 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W. TARA TUNE Washington, D.C. 20004 ELIOT FIELDING TURNER (202) 662-0466 JAMIE WHITNEY
[email protected] GERALDINE W. YOUNG FULBRIGHT & JAWORSKI L.L.P. LISA BORNSTEIN 1301 McKinney THE LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE Suite 5100 ON CIVIL AND HUMAN RIGHTS Houston, TX 77010 1629 K Street, N.W., 10th Fl. (713) 651-5151 Washington, D.C. 20006 (202) 466-3311 * Counsel of Record Counsel for Amici Curiae TABLE OF CONTENTS Page TABLE OF AUTHORITIES ...................................... ii INTEREST OF AMICI CURIAE ............................... 1 SUMMARY OF THE ARGUMENT ........................... 3 ARGUMENT .............................................................. 6 I. LAWRENCE REMOVED ANY PERCEIVED IMPEDIMENT TO THE RECOGNITION OF HEIGHTENED SCRUTINY FOR SEXUAL ORIENTATION CLASSIFICATIONS ............ 6 II. SEXUAL ORIENTATION CLASSIFICATIONS WARRANT HEIGHTENED SCRUTINY ........................... 9 A. Sexual Orientation Classifications Raise The Same Concerns As Other Classifications Accorded Heightened Scrutiny ...................................................... 9 B. Gay People Have Suffered A Long History Of Prejudicial Discrimination .......................................... 14 C. Sexual Orientation Bears No Relation To A Persons Ability To Perform In Or Contribute To Society ...... 19 D. Sexual Orientation Is A Distinguishing Characteristic That Defines A Discrete Group ........................ 22 E. Gay People Remain Disadvantaged In The Political Arena .............................