The Civil Rights Act prohibits workplace discrimination against LGBT employees, a federal appeals court ruled Tuesday.

"We conclude today that discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation is a form of sex discrimination," Judge Diane Wood wrote for the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals.

The ruling is a victory for Kimberly Hively, who sued Ivy Tech Community College arguing that the school violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 when it denied her employment.

"This decision is (a) gamechanger for lesbian and gay employees facing discrimination in the workplace and sends a clear message to employers: it is against the law to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation," said Greg Nevins, of Lambda Legal the group that brought the case.