Anti-Gay Christian Bakery Loses Appeal, Must Bake Cakes For Same-Sex Couples

A Colorado bakery has lost its appeal of a ruling that found it violated the cvil rights of a same-sex couple when it refused to bake them a cake for their wedding. Masterpiece Cakeshopowner Jack Phillips had told David Mullins and Charlie Craig in 2102 that he could not bake them a cake because doing so would violate his religious Christian beliefs.

In December, the couple won their complaint filed with Colorado Civil Rights Commission, but Phillips appealed. Today, the Commission rejected the appeal, again finding that Phillips had violated their cvil rights. Phillips has admitted he has refused to provide services to other same-sex couples, and has become a hero of the religious right. He has also promised to close if he cannot discriminate against gay people based on his religious beliefs.

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“What should have been a happy day for us turned into a humiliating and dehumanizing experience because of the way we were treated,” Mullins told the ACLU. “No one should ever have to walk into a store and wonder if they will be turned away just because of who they are.”

In a statement, the ACLU notes “[l]ong-standing Colorado state law prohibits public accommodations, including businesses such as Masterpiece Cakeshop, from refusing service based on factors such as race, sex, marital status or sexual orientation. Last year, an administrative judge upheld the Colorado Civil Rights Division’s finding of illegal discrimination by the bakery. Today’s decision from the Colorado Civil Rights Commission affirms the prior ruling. The commission also ordered a change of policy, staff training, and quarterly reporting to confirm that the bakery is not turning away customers due to sexual orientation.”

“Religious freedom is undoubtedly an important American value, but so is the right to be treated equally under the law free from discrimination,” said Amanda C. Goad, staff attorney with the ACLU Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender Project. “Everyone is free to believe what they want, but businesses like Masterpiece Cakeshop cannot treat some customers differently than others based on who they are as people.”

Phillips admitted he had turned away other same-sex couples as a matter of policy despite Colorado’s law.

“Masterpiece Cakeshop has willfully and repeatedly considered itself above the law when it comes to discriminating against customers, and the Commission has rightly determined otherwise,” said Sara R. Neel, staff attorney with the ACLU of Colorado.