Supreme Court Will Hear ACLU Case About Cake Shop Refusing Service to Same-Sex Couple

Normally I would be voicing my outrage that in 2017 we would still be having to go court over what is essentially a "NO COLOREDS ALLOWED" sign being dusted off and hung up again. (And in Colorado, no less, a blue state!) But if this case is properly adjudicated, it could finally shut down once and for all this bullshit "religious freedom" argument bigots have been trying to use. But I said "if." We're lucky Justice Kennedy, who has been the voice of reason on these matters, is still on the court. But should he decide to resign this summer, there's no telling how much damage the "new" Roberts court could inflict before it's over -- potentially setting the civil rights movement back 55 years. Is this really what we get for suggesting people stop calling black people the N-word, gay people the F-word and women "girls"?

The American Civil Liberties Union writes:

The Supreme Court today announced it will review a decision from the Colorado Court of Appeals that found that a cake shop discriminated against a same-sex couple by refusing to sell them a wedding cake.

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 for same-sex weddings. Phillips had turned away several other couples for the same reason.

“This has always been about more than a cake. Businesses should not be allowed to violate the law and discriminate against us because of who we are and who we love,” said Mullins. His husband, Craig, added, “While we’re disappointed that the courts continue debating the simple question of whether LGBT people deserve to be treated like everyone else, we hope that our case helps ensure that no one has to experience being turned away simply because of who they are.”

The American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Colorado represent Mullins and Craig in the case. Under Colorado law, businesses open to the public like Masterpiece Cakeshop may not refuse service based on factors including race, sex, national origin, or sexual orientation. After Mullins and Craig won, the Colorado Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal.

“The law is squarely on David and Charlie’s side because when businesses are open to the public, they’re supposed to be open to everyone,” said James Esseks, director of the ACLU’s LGBT Project.

“While the right to one’s religious beliefs is fundamental, a license to discriminate is not. Same-sex couples like David and Charlie deserve to be treated with the same dignity and respect as anyone else, and we’re ready to take that fight all the way to the Supreme Court.”

For those playing the home version of the game, Neil Gorsuch is already going after LGBT rights. Read HERE.

U.S. Department of Education Stands With Transgender High School Student in Chicago

More reaffirming news for the T community.

The American Civil Liberties Union reports:

The U.S. Department of Education issued a ruling for the first time ever today to hold a suburban Chicago school in violation of federal law for denying a trans student access to gender-appropriate locker room facilities, simply because of her gender identity.

The Department issued its findings after a lengthy investigation and made it clear today that the school is engaging in harmful discrimination. The case was brought by the ACLU of Illinois against Township High School Dist. 211 in December 2013.

Today’s landmark ruling follows the Department of Education filing a brief last week supporting a trans high school student in Virginia who is challenging a discriminatory restroom policy at Gloucester High School that forces trans students to use separate facilities.

Now if only those idiots in Houston could get it straight.