Essay On 14th Amendment Rights

Since the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960’s, the meaning of 14th amendment rights have changed and evolved overtime in to what they have become today. First, the issue of race played a key role in defining the role of the 14th amendment in the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Second, the Supreme Court used a different interpretation of the 14th amendment to decide rights of privacy in the case of Roe v. Wade that concerned the issue of abortion and rights of women. Lastly, the case of Lawrence v. Texas in 2003 that involves the issues of sexuality and privacy, shows another way that the 14th amendment was interpreted to give everyone the right to free choice. Through examining the way that the 14 amendment was used in each of these cases, it is evident that the meaning and interpretation of this amendment has changed overtime. To begin with, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. Before this law was enacted, blacks and African Americans did not have equal rights to …show more content…
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 regarding the issue of race affirms everyone’s right to equal protection, without discrimination, under the 14th amendment. The case of Roe v. Wade in the early 1970’s presents the issue of equal rights of women and shows how the 14th amendment also protects ones right of privacy under the Due Process Clause of the 14th amendment. The issue of sexuality in the case of Lawrence v. Texas sums up the important changes in the interpretation of the 14th amendment that were used to protect the equal rights, as well as the right of privacy and free choice of two homosexual men in Texas. All in all, these issues that led to differing interpretations of the 14th amendment eventually defined it’s meaning: to provide equal rights, rights of privacy, and the right of personal