U.S. Supreme Court takes up LGBTQ case that put civil rights in crosshair
Tue. February 22, 2022 1:14 PM by Gerald Farinas
colorado supreme court
photo credit // gopride.com
If not limited in scope, conservative members of the Supreme Court could easily use the case to erase LGBTQ rights
The U.S. Supreme Court has taken another case that could affect LGBTQ rights. A website designer who identifies as an Evangelical Christian is challenging a Colorado anti-discrimination law that she says impedes her religious rights.
Lorie Smith of Denver says that when a court rejected her exemption from anti-discrimination laws that protect LGBTQ persons, the court had infringed on her own civil rights to observe her faith tradition that opposes working with LGBTQ persons.
In 2018, the Supreme Court heard a similar case from Denver involving a wedding cake baker who refused to make a cake for a same-sex couple. The ruling in that case was had limited scope that went in favor of the cake maker.
This latest case could end up making a landmark decision as to whether or not a person or business can refuse a service offered to the general public if it denies their own religious liberties, and whether or not denying an LGBTQ person service constitutes as free speech.
Lorie Smith of Denver says that when a court rejected her exemption from anti-discrimination laws that protect LGBTQ persons, the court had infringed on her own civil rights to observe her faith tradition that opposes working with LGBTQ persons.
In 2018, the Supreme Court heard a similar case from Denver involving a wedding cake baker who refused to make a cake for a same-sex couple. The ruling in that case was had limited scope that went in favor of the cake maker.
This latest case could end up making a landmark decision as to whether or not a person or business can refuse a service offered to the general public if it denies their own religious liberties, and whether or not denying an LGBTQ person service constitutes as free speech.