Final answer:
The 1996 Supreme Court decision in Romer v. Evans overturned Colorado's Amendment 2, protecting the rights of gay and lesbian citizens and advancing LGBTQ rights.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the 1996 decision Romer v. Evans, the Supreme Court struck down Colorado's state constitutional Amendment 2, which had been passed by voters.
This amendment aimed to prohibit any city, town, or county in Colorado from taking measures to protect the rights of gay and lesbian individuals.
The Court ruled that this amendment violated the equal protection rights of gay and lesbian citizens under the Fourteenth Amendment.
This landmark ruling played a significant role in the advancement of LGBTQ rights, as it checked the power of voters and legislators to deny equal rights based on sexual orientation.