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As protesters outside chanted, the judges inside the US Supreme Court were hearing evidence on what could turn into the largest sex discrimination lawsuit in American history. This group of women are suing their bosses at Wal-Mart, claiming they've been passed up for pay and promotion in favour of men. 

It's been a ten-year battle, but they are calling on their case to be heard as a class action, so the grievances of all women employees can be heard together. The women claim thousands of workers have been held back from opportunities based on their gender. 

It's for the Supreme Court to decide in the coming weeks whether the lawsuit should cover all female retail staff who've worked in Wal-Mart stores in America since 1988.

Wal-Mart says any grievances should be heard on a case-by-case basis, rather than be lumped together as one, and deny any claims of sexism.

Many big businesses fear that if the Supreme Court does allow a class action lawsuit to go ahead, it could open the floodgates to many similar large-scale discrimination cases. 

Rajini Vaidyanathan, BBC News, Washington