With anti-discrimination laws in the USA ruling in favor of gay rights, and gay marriage, it was very natural for a court in Colorado to rule in favor of a gay couple that claimed that a bakery’s refusal to bake their gay wedding cake amounted to discrimination against gays.
Jack Phillips of Masterpiece cake shop claimed that his Christian beliefs prevented him from baking the cake for the couple, and stated also that he found the concept of gay marriage offensive towards his religion, as it was “not an OK thing”. The courts however, stood by the naturally distraught gay couple and told him on no uncertain terms that his actions amounted to unlawful discrimination of the couple in a public space on the basis of their sexual orientation. Phillips claimed that he had First Amendment rights, however, his words did not succeed at swaying the judge.
At a time when the rights of the queer community are being upheld and spoken about regularly with the aim of facilitating harmony, the actions of the cake shop proprietor are certainly offensive, and it is hoped that the anti-discrimination charge will give him the opportunity to adopt a more progressive and professional attitude. For the aggrieved couple, Dave Mullins and Charlie Craig, however, justice has been served.
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