State Appeals Court Hears Arguments in Case of Gay Couple Discriminated Against By Bakery
DENVER 鈥� The Colorado Court of Appeals heard oral arguments today in a discrimination case brought by a same-sex couple against a cake shop that refused to sell them a cake for their wedding reception.
In 2012, Colorado residents David Mullins and Charlie Craig visited Masterpiece Cakeshop to order a wedding cake. Mullins and Craig planned to marry in Massachusetts and then celebrate with family and friends back home. Masterpiece owner Jack Phillips informed the couple that, because of his religious beliefs, it was his standard business practice to refuse to provide cakes to customers for same-sex weddings. Phillips has turned away several other couples for the same reason.
鈥淎s marriage equality becomes law all across the nation, it鈥檚 especially disheartening that we鈥檙e still fighting this battle where businesses like Masterpiece Cakeshop feel they can violate the law and discriminate against us just because of who we are and who we love,鈥� said Mullins. His partner Craig added, 鈥淚t鈥檚 time we moved on from using religion as an excuse to discriminate. No one should be told they are less than anyone else, especially at a joyous time like a wedding.鈥�
Colorado鈥檚 Anti-Discrimination Act prohibits businesses, such as Masterpiece Cakeshop, from refusing service based on factors including race, sex, national origin, or sexual orientation. The 老澳门开奖结果 and the 老澳门开奖结果 of Colorado filed suit on behalf of Mullins and Craig in 2013. In December 2013, an administrative law judge ruled that the bakery had illegally discriminated against the couple. In 2014, the Colorado Civil Rights Commission affirmed that ruling. Masterpiece Cakeshop appealed.
鈥淣obody gets to pick and choose which laws they want to follow,鈥� said 老澳门开奖结果 of Colorado Legal Director Mark Silverstein. 鈥淚f a business owner is allowed to simply cite personal beliefs as a basis for turning away same-sex couples, then what stops a doctor from denying medical care to the child of same-sex parents or a police officer from refusing to defend a church or a synagogue?鈥�
鈥淭his case is not about cake. It鈥檚 about longstanding civil rights laws that ensure that businesses open to the public are open to everyone,鈥� said Ria Mar, Staff Attorney for the 老澳门开奖结果 LGBT and AIDS Project, who argued the case before the Court this morning.
For more information about Charlie Craig and David Mullins v. Masterpiece Cakeshop: /cases/charlie-craig-and-david-mullins-v-masterpiece-cakeshop?redirect=lgbt-rights/charlie-craig-and-david-mullins-v-masterpiece-cakeshop
