The Supreme Court ruled Monday that the key federal law prohibiting discrimination in the workplace protects gay, lesbian or transgender employees from being disciplined or fired based on their sexual orientation.

Two of the court's Republican appointees, Neil Gorsuch and John Roberts, joined the court's Democratic appointees to deliver the surprising, 6-3 victory to LGBT advocates.

Writing for the court's majority, Gorsuch accepted arguments that the Civil Rights Act of 1964's prohibition on sex discrimination in employment also effectively banned bias based on sexual orientation or gender identity, even though few if any members of Congress thought they were doing that at the time.

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