Discrimination based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

The U.S. Supreme Court, in the case of Bostock v. Clayton Cty., Georgia. U.S. 140 S. Ct. 1731 (2020), as well as other federal court cases, have extended sex discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to include prohibition of employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has also adopted guidance with the extended definition to prohibit housing discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which is substantially similar to Ohio’s laws against discrimination under Ohio Revised Code (ORC) Chapter 4112, is used to interpret ORC 4112. As such, we apply the extended definition of sex under Bostock to all types of discrimination under Ohio law and enforce sex as inclusive of sexual orientation and gender identity in employment, housing, public accommodation, and credit discrimination cases, pursuant to current, emerging, and applicable case law.

The Ohio Civil Rights Commission encourages anyone who feels they have been discriminated against due to sexual orientation or gender identity to file a charge of discrimination with our agency. 
 

QUESTIONS? 

If you have any questions about the Ohio Civil Rights Commission’s jurisdiction or about the OCRC process, please contact our regional staff.  You can call our toll-free number at: 1-888-278-7101 and a member of staff will return your call.    

For more information on filing a charge, see our Charge Filing Procedure page.