C-SPAN Radio continues its special series of five equal protection historic oral arguments with a 1996 case on sexual orientation and discrimination: “Colorado Governor Roy Romer and others, petitioners v. Richard Evans and others, respondents.”
In 1992, Colorado voters adopted Amendment 2 to their state constitution, forbidding any judicial, legislative, or executive action to protect persons from discrimination based on their "homosexual, lesbian, or bisexual orientation, conduct, practices or relationships." Following a legal challenge by homosexual and other parties, the state trial court issued a permanent injunction against the enforcement of Amendment 2. The Colorado Supreme Court affirmed on appeal and the case ended up in the U.S. Supreme Court. The lead petitioner, Roy Romer, was the Democratic governor of Colorado, and although though he was opposed to Amendment 2, he was forced to defend it in his position as governor.