GLAAD statement on Masterpiece Cakeshop, Ltd. v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission SCOTUS ruling

GLAAD, the world’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) media advocacy organization, today released the following statement on the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in the case Masterpiece Cakeshop, Ltd. v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission.

The Supreme Court has made a narrow ruling in favor of a Christian baker in Colorado who refused to make a custom cake for a same-sex couple. The 7-2 decision placed blame on the Colorado Civil Rights Commission’s handling of the claims brought against Jack Phillips, saying it had showed a hostility to religion. GLAAD’s statement follows.

“Though freedom of religion is an American value, discrimination is not. While this decision does not change existing civil rights protections, it leaves the door wide open for religious exemptions to be used against LGBTQ people,” said GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis. “Today’s decision emboldens the anti-LGBTQ Alliance Defending Freedom and the Trump Administration in their persistent push to legalize discrimination against LGBTQ people under the misnomer of religious freedom. LGBTQ people will continuously be vulnerable until the liberty and justice for all tenants of the Constitution apply to all Americans, including LGBTQ people.”

Read GLAAD’s Tip Sheet for fairly and accurately reporting on religious exemptions here.