This is fantastic!
Back in July 2012, engaged couple Charlie Craig and David Mullins went to local bakery Masterpiece Cakeshop and asked for a wedding cake with the Sesame Street characters Bert and Ernie on it with the words “Support Gay Marriage” in icing.
Baker Jack Phillips refused to make it for them, citing religious reasons. However, he did provide them other baked good options.
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Charlie and David took him to court for damages for discrimination and Phillips lost.
Phillips then took the case to an appeals court in Colorado where — despite Patrick Stewart‘s surprising support of the Bakery — it was just ruled by a judge that the baker CANNOT cite religion as his reason to refuse to bake a wedding cake for gay couples.
The couple was represented by the deputy legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union, Louise Melling, who said:
“The court squarely said that this is discrimination based on sexual orientation and it’s not to be tolerated, even if it’s motivated by faith. Religious liberty gives you the right to your beliefs but not the right to harm others.”
However, Jeremy Tedesco of the Christian legal group, Alliance Defending Freedom, who represents Phillips, continued to defend his client by saying:
“Cake decorating is his medium for creating art and they are compelling him to engage in artistic expression that violates his beliefs.”
Despite his best efforts, the Colorado Court of Appeals — made up of a three judge panel — was unanimous in decision by stating that refusing to serve the couple was a clear act of illegal discrimination.
It’s expected that the Alliance Defending Freedom will continue to stand by their client and attempt to take this case to the Colorado Supreme Court, but we hope that they’ll come to the same conclusion!
For now, we’ll take this as a big win!
[Image via AP Images.]
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