Three separate federal suits were brought by gay men and lesbians who had been discharged from their jobs. One plaintiff, a schoolteacher, alleged that his firing was because he wore an earring to school. The second suit was brought by two lesbians who alleged that they were terminated from their jobs because of their sexual orientation. The third suit was filed by three homosexual plaintiffs who alleged that they were in one case denied employment, and in two cases fired from employment because their employer had a corporate policy of not employing homosexuals. The U.S. District Court dismissed the complaints on the grounds that Title VII does not protect employees from discharges based on effeminacy or homosexuality. The U.S. Court of Appeals affirmed the decision of the District Court. Does the fact that two federal courts ruled that the plaintiffs were not entitled to legal relief affect the ethical merits of their claims?