Final answer:
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 provides legal protection against discrimination for LGBTQ individuals, as expanded by the U.S. Supreme Court in Bostock v. Clayton County, which included sexual orientation and gender identity under 'sex' discrimination.
Step-by-step explanation:
Legal protection against discrimination based on sexual orientation can be found in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. In a landmark case, Bostock v. Clayton County, Georgia, the United States Supreme Court ruled that Title VII's prohibition against discrimination based on sex also encompasses discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. This decision has made it illegal for employers to fire someone based on their sexual orientation or gender identity, thereby providing crucial protections for LGBTQ employees within the workforce.
Previously, many states did not have laws preventing such discrimination, but the Supreme Court's ruling has now set a federal standard. Policies such as 'don't ask, don't tell' and State laws that allowed discrimination based on religious beliefs have been challenged and overturned, further advancing the rights and protections for the LGBTQ community.