I am an ordinary person who has been blessed with extraordinary opportunities and experiences.
Sonia SotomayorRead
Outside of the marriage context, can you think of any other rational basis, reason, for a state using sexual orientation as a factor in denying homosexuals benefits or imposing burdens on them? Is there any other rational decision-making that the government could make? Denying them a job, not granting them benefits of some sort, any other decision?
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote questions the rationale behind discrimination based on sexual orientation in legal contexts.
Sonia Sotomayor's quote challenges the legitimacy of using sexual orientation as a criterion for imposing disadvantages on individuals, particularly by the government. It invites critical reflection on the fairness of such discrimination and emphasizes the need for rational decision-making that respects the rights of all individuals, regardless of their sexual orientation.
Themes
DiscriminationSexual OrientationGovernmentRightsJustice
In practice
Example use cases
A speaker at a pride event discussing the importance of equality for LGBTQ+ individuals may quote this to illustrate the need for social justice.
More from Sonia Sotomayor
All quotes →This wealth of experiences, personal and professional, have helped me appreciate the variety of perspectives that present themselves in every case that I hear.
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I was fifteen years old when I understood how it is that things break down: people can't imagine someone else's point of view.
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The truth is that since childhood I had cultivated an existential independence. It came from perceiving the adults around me as unreliable, and without it I felt I wouldn't have survived. I cared deeply for everyone in my family, but in the end I depended on myself.
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As you discover what strength you can draw from your community in this world from which it stands apart, look outward as well as inward. Build bridges instead of walls.
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There are uses to adversity, and they don't reveal themselves until tested. Whether it's serious illness, financial hardship, or the simple constraint of parents who speak limited English, difficulty can tap unexpected strengths.
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