To cap off Pride Month, the Supreme Court ruled Friday that private businesses have a right to deny LGBTQ+ people goods and services. And unsurprisingly, LGBTQ+ folx across the country aren’t happy about it.
In a 6 to 3 vote among ideological lines, the uber-conservative court sided with a Colorado web designer who says her Christian faith requires her to turn away same-sex couples looking for wedding-related services to celebrate their marriage.
Though Colorado state law prohibits discrimination against LGBTQ+ people, the designer, Lorie Smith, says the non-discrimination statute violates her right to free speech.
When the Supreme Court agreed to hear the case, it set out to rule on whether applying a “public-accommodation law to compel an artist to speak or stay silent violates the free speech clause of the First Amendment.”
Justice Neil Gorsuch, Donald Trump‘s first Supreme Court appointee, authored the majority opinion. “The First Amendment envisions the United States as a rich and complex place where all persons are free to think and speak as they wish, not as the government demands,” he wrote. “Colorado seeks to deny that promise.”
Justice Sonia Sotomayer, meanwhile, authored the dissent. “Today the Court, for the first time in its history, grants a business open to the public a constitutional right to refuse to serve members of a protected class,” she wrote.
The court’s decision Friday comes five years after it narrowly ruled in favor of a Colorado baker who refused to create a wedding cake for a gay couple.
These rulings suggest the rights of LGBTQ+ people, including to same-sex marriage, are now on more tenuous legal footing than before.
Making matters more enraging, Smith, the web designer, hasn’t even started her business yet. The Supreme Court took a wrecking ball to anti-discrimination protections based on a hypothetical scenario. (And girl, no gay wants to visit your crappy website, anyway.)
Friday represented a horrific one-two punch for our loathsome court. Earlier in the morning, the six right-wing justices also struck down President Biden’s plan to wipe away $400 billion in student loan debt.
When same-sex marriage was declared legal in all 50 states, it was viewed as a watershed moment in the fight for LGBTQ+ equality. But in just eight short years, a lot of that precedent is being destroyed. When the court struck down Roe last summer, it opened the legal door to strike down marriage equality.
In fact, Justice Clarence Thomas specified mentioned Obergefell as one of the rulings that should be reconsidered.
The Supreme Court hasn’t gone that far yet, but the ground may be getting laid.
Scroll down for more outrage at the court’s latest ignominious ruling…
There is literally no practical way for the court to distinguish the difference between saying “I won’t design a site for gay couples” and “I don’t design a site for interracial couple.” This opens the door to legal racial discrimination.
— Alejandra Caraballo (@Esqueer_) June 30, 2023
WillParkinson
Being gay is biological. Being religious is a choice. Yet those poor beat up christians have more rights than we do.
KissBananaPeels
Members of the LGBT community better wake up and realize that white women are the ENEMY…they have voted overwhelmingly over 45% Republican since 1933…you can cozy up to them but they are NOT allies…
While 90 percent of Black women voters supported Joe Biden, along with almost 70 percent of Hispanic women, the available data shows that up to 55 percent of white women voted for Trump…over half of white women voted for Trump…
White members of the LGBT community better wake and realize that they are friends and fag hagging with the enemy
drelimanning
YOU ARE 100% correct. I am a born again Christian as well as a staunch ally of the LGBTQ+ community. even my mother before she passed was a staunch ally and her paster was openly gay. There is nothing in the Bible or in the Christian religion that advocates refusing services to LGBTQ+ folks. That person who said her religion prohibits her is a lying sack of shit
Jesus loves everyone and Love is Love
Dr R
frapachino
@KissBananaPeels You found a new excuse to attack white people.
ingyaom
What if I had a “religious objection” to interracial marriage – like Clarence Thomas’s?
KissBananaPeels
As long as it is heterosexual that will not be overturned…but they are going to dump gay marriage right back on the states and declare that they over reached
gaym50ish
Here’s a suggestion for the ACLU. Bring a case (hypothetical, of course, because we now know that it doesn’t have to be a real plaintiff who has “standing’) in which a web designer wants to design wedding sites but has a religious belief in separation of the races and won’t serve interracial couples. (Separation of the races is supported by the Christian Bible and was used by segregationists.) First, it would be interesting to see how Clarence Thomas would rule on a case like that. But it would be even more interesting to see if the court would use the same logic they used to allow anti-LGBT discrimination. I’m guessing they would not use this case as precedent for allowing racial discrimination.
Cam
This has been the Republican plan all along, gut the voting rights act, legalize discrimination, and remove worker protections allowing companies to treat workers like feudal lords.
Republicans are about hate and bigotry, end of story.
KissBananaPeels
Well a majority of white Americans are OK with this….Black Americans VOTE DEMOCRATIC…the gay community better start dealing with these other racial groups getting them to vote DEMOCRATIC
While 90 percent of Black women voters supported Joe Biden, along with almost 70 percent of Hispanic women, the available data shows that up to 55 percent of white women voted for Trump
Asian Americans got a wake up call because Trump was a jerk to them…but they are still 65% voting Democrat…
ScottOnEarth
You are 1000% correct, Cam. Modern-day republicans are dark, evil people who are hell-bent on turning the U.S. into a so-called Christian nation, with no regard for the U.S. constitution, justice, fairness or humanity. They have made alarming progress in a very short period of time.
frapachino
@KissBananaPeels I’ve been voting GOP because of people like you and the bile you spew against white people 😉
Covid Hermit
I really and truly hate these bigots who insist “Jesus says I have to treat gay people like dirt.”
Wrong.
Jesus said NOTHING about gay people.
In fact, in his day, he broke bread with the outcasts and said to love one another. He told the religious right of his day where to go.
Somehow, I have a feeling that, if Jesus came back today (and for the record, I’m an atheist, so I’m not really buying his divinity anyway), he would tell these ignorant a**holes where to go…then he’d go volunteer at an AIDS hospice, take part in a Pride parade, hand out food at a soup kitchen, and do outreach work with BLM.
FreddieW
I doubt Jesus would do all those things. His apostles wouldn’t have, especially Paul.
barryaksarben
Jesus loved hookers and he would love gays and he would have hated all these bigots and fake christians. Paul could go suck it along with all the other FAKE christians. Religious zealotry has always been destructive and has never built anything but the current criminal organization that is the organized religion
dbmcvey
Hey Freddie,
I’m sure Jesus would be a cruel, mean-spirited jerk like all the loud people claiming to do things in his name.
You and LoBobes are on the same page!
dbmcvey
Even if you believe Christ existed, Paul didn’t know him. Paul used him to gain power, which is the Christian way.
KissBananaPeels
UGH, Jesus is a guy I met once with a uncut piece we docked and played and then he plowed me
Stefano
If if if if and if. Lol. Who are you to decide what other people believe? Your beliefs are no more valid than anyone else’s…because they are beliefs, not facts. You can rant on for hours about who’s a true or false Christian, but it’s just blah blah…your whole argument is mush for cats!
Mack
As I said in another post on the site, I personally think that gays should start refusing service on all Republican Christians. Just say it’s against your religion to provide service to someone who hates. I would love to see how the Bullshit Supremes would rule on that.
FreddieW
I’m glad they struck down student debt forgiveness. Trump is no king, and neither is Biden.
barryaksarben
I worked 6 years at two jobs to pay off my debt and I would not wish that on anyone and the costs are out of control and quadruple what they were when I went. IT was realized that the student loan business was a way for vile amounts of users could be made
FreddieW
I’m glad to hear that you paid off your debt. That’s what people are supposed to do when they borrow money.
dbmcvey
Yes. It’s so good for our country for the young educated people to be drowning in a sea of debt they can never recover from. That’s the secret of a healthy society.
And king? Wow. You’ve been listening to Marge Greene. That’s a great sign of a healthy mind.
KissBananaPeels
Student Debt Forgiveness should only be granted to hard ship fields like teaching or nursing…
ScottOnEarth
Hey, Freddie. That’s not what this article is about. Try visiting Fox ‘News’ if you want to celebrate rulings that harm people. F-ing idiot.
brian6767
@FreddieW Agree. I also worked 2 jobs to pay off my school loans. There’s no such thing as “loan forgiveness”. They would just take their financial burden and place it on the back of the tax payers, many of whom already paid their school loans off. I worked hard to pay that tuition back and I wouldn’t expect anyone else to foot the bill for what I decided to do for a career. I’m not going to be responsible for anyone else’s. Just pay your f**@^n bills.
FreddieW
@ScottOnEarth
You didn’t even read that article, did you? Maybe you should read it or read it more carefully.
FreddieW
@dbmcvey,
I think I’ve heard her voice once or twice on the news. I read most of my news, and she doesn’t write for The Washington Post or CNN. But nice try at tagging me as a Republican extremist, which I’m not.
jsmu
But TRILLIONS in tax cuts for Rapeublic*nt zillionaires is just fine, right, you moron?
jsmu
Sweetie pie, can the LIES. You eat out Margarine Traitor GANGREENE three times a day!
FreddieW
It’s strange to me that leftist extremists on a gay site talking to other gay guys are just as obnoxious as leftist extremists anywhere else.
Kangol2
This ruling and the other horrible ones are the direct result of people voting for Don the Con in 2016. We had a clear choice between that treasonous buffoon and Hillary Clinton, who would have been an excellent president, but just enough of a minority of voters cast ballots for Don the Con, and the aftermath of that disastrous presidency will continue to ripple throughout this society for years to come.
Anyone who doesn’t think things could get worse should look at US history and the brutal record of racist segregation, lynching, etc. The right-wing fanatics mean business. Every LGBTQ person who voted for him and who keeps voting for the GQP should think long and hard about the rights and freedoms they think they have, because these right-wing fanatics are showing day by day that they want to strip everything away and if given the power, they will certainly do so!
Stefano
As I mentioned earlier, your country is on the verge of becoming a dictatorship. The Republicans don’t give a damn about your country. All your fellow citizens care about is money and power. And I’m pretty sure Don de con, as you call him, is going to be your gravedigger. Your country is in decline, and what history teaches us is that this always happens from within, and it’s happening very fast…hang in there, because it’s not the young progressives or the immigrants who are going to help you…all these fine people are going to shit un their pants and become hyper docile, they don’t have enough balls and, they’re too busy admiring themselves on social medias.
Openminded
I think that’s what I hate the most about this lopsided court. Trump is saying “I did that”.
keyth57
Been a great week of rulings.
Don’t force your beliefs on others. Make your own or find somebody else.
Stop grifting on college loans.
By merit only not by color.
He’s a biological man or woman not the opposite.
Live your life calmly.
I wave one flag only-the U.S, flag
Gays are starting to realize were doing more harm than good. Im sure Im in the minority on this site.
Bring it on.
CKNJ
Damn right you are in a minority, and if you are gay, and really believe that crap, you are a useless pathetic caricature of LGBT.
jp47
If you believe all these things why are you even on this site? It’s called Queerty and supports everything LGBTQ+. You, obviously, do not. I don’t go to anti-LGBTQ+ sites and make comments. Again, why are you wasting your time here?
dbmcvey
Hi key, I’m going to give you the response you deserve.
Crickets…
ScottOnEarth
LOL. Bring what on? There are plenty of basic, no-frills idiots like you out there
keyth57
Yup-all gay here.But I don’t attack others with hate. Open discussion is my style.
Den
I can just see you now…out on a date (if there is a man who would be attracted to your shriveled ugly soul), he clasps your hand on the street: you pull away and whisper horrified “oh not! the good normal folks will thing we’re queer!”
You clearly will go quietly back into the closet as they’d like. I wonder if you will also go quietly into the ovens when that time comes. I suspect you will. Your self hatred seems that deep.
Do you also support those who will now refuse service to you in a pharmacy or restaurant if they think you are gay? Do you support those who will refuse service to interracial couples (after all the Christian doctrines can be seen as being agains “mixing of the races”)? I assume you support refusing service to Jews because your kind always does.
Sad, stupid puppet of the right wing grifters who will kick your faggy ass to the curb as soon as they think you are no longer useful. Just like Trump has done with everyone who has sucked up to him.
Chrisk
keyth57
I’ve seen your other posts. You always come on to support (troll) the most rightwing assholes there are so you most definitely hate.
jsmu
Beeyotch, puhleeze. Cheap little homophobic Russkytrolls like you are nothing new and you’re obvious ten miles away.
You can’t even pose as a Log Cabinettec*nt–you don’t even have that much skill at trolling.
Shove your amurriKKKan flag all the way up your second sphincter where it belongs.
Major
They will be coming after our marriages next, on that, you can guarantee.
Please… vote.
Please make sure your friends vote.
Please make sure your families vote.
Our lives depend on it.
KissBananaPeels
You mean make sure your white friends vote Democratic…Black Americans and Hispanic vote Democratic…white Americans especially women DO NOT with over 50% voting Republican since the 1950s and it HAS NOT changed even in 2020…white Americans are the cause of this due to their need for power and control…
Black Americans made it possible for Obama to be elected…look at the numbers and Black Americans OVERWHELMINGLY vote Democratic which allows for progressive laws to pass…but white gay Americans DO NOT give them their gratitude…that needs to STOP!!!
brian6767
@KissBananaPeels….. I’m Samoan-American, a registered Independent, and I’m not voting for Biden again, but I see where you’re coming from. After hearing about the punishment his son, Hunter, is getting compared to what a minority would get if they were found guilty of the same crimes, there’s no way I’m throwing my support behind that guy. It’s white privilege and/or nepotism….call it what you want. I have friends who are still serving time from gun violations, and they won’t see the light of day for another 4-5 years. And the tax evasion charges? It’s laughable. I think the black community might find another candidate to support. I know Wesley Snipes, Kodak, and Lil Wayne probably are {:-p)
FreddieW
I always vote. If the Democrats want my vote this time, though, they’re going to have to put a younger moderate on the ballot. They haven’t had a decent candidate since Obama, though I voted for Hillary anyway.
inbama
Same sex marriage is protected by the “Respect for Marriage Act” passed by Congress and signed by President Biden last year.
Den
brian6767:
Try reading real news sources. Hunter Biden has received EXACTLY THE SAME PUNISHMENT as is usually specified for the crimes for which there was actual court ready evidence. All that crap you right wingers whine about are based on lies and fabrications. Where are these supposed tapes? Where are these supposed whistle blowers? The document purporting to show bribery was filed by a sketchy Russian oligarch years ago, and DISMISSED BY TRUMP’S THEN LACKY BILL BARR! And the guy has not been seen in years.
The only thing on the laptop is naked pix of Hunter, and the right has engaged in criminal activity by reposting them without consent. You folks have neither morals nor any ethical grounding and live on lies!
LeBlevsez
inbama –
Judicial Review. Look it up.
The conservatives on the Supreme Court have made plain that they are willing to take big swings. Since there is no appeal beyond the Supreme Court, a majority ruling that the “Respect for Marriage Act” is unconstitutional would negate the right to same-sex marriage. Congress and the President, and the People, be damned.
You don’t understand much.
decrans
KissBananaPeels tells no lies. I might vote for Cornel West before it’s over with. I love the white-splaining from Den. Typical gay bougie. Somebody alert Dave Matthews. He’s got a competitor for the Queerty McCain who wants to whine about privilege award.
inbama
@LeBlevsez
Sorry, but you can’t mask your ignorance with insults.
While I’m not happy with the affirmative action and free speech rulings, no legal scholar denies that they are all on solid constitutional grounds.
Like those rulings, the Respect for Marriage Act is also rock solid. It simply requires every state to recognize marriages performed in any other. That reinforces what’s already in the Constitution’s Full Faith and Credit Clause. Clarence Thomas and his threats have no way around this.
Of course, if you live in a rotten red state (as I do), you will have to travel to a blue one (as I did) to be married
Now Congress needs to find a similar way to handle abortion and medical treatment. States should not be allowed to punish their citizens forced to traveling to seek services that are legal in other states.
LeBlevsez
You’re wrong, inbama. To wit:
The Supreme Court of a red state (let’s call it South Moronia) hears a case challenging the Respect for Marriage Act. It issues a 477 page ruling: ‘…civil contract blah blah Plessy blah Founders harrumph congressional overreach yada yada does not merit full faith ahem no marriage for you booyah!’
It is appealed.
It only takes four justices on the U.S. Supreme Court to agree to hear a case, which would be a cake walk with the current court. Thomas and Alito are shoo-ins to overturn. Gorsuch, Kavanaugh and Barrett, almost certainly overturn (although possibly with a separate, concurring opinion in the mix, maybe two). That’s Bingo, ‘bama. This would allow Roberts to have his way, while saving the cracked veneer of civility he has so carefully crafted. Or he might just dive in, whole hog.
You expect this court to respect the Respect for Marriage Act when they won’t respect precedent?
Finally, judging by your last paragraph, you don’t understand ‘full faith and credit’. At all.
LeBlevsez
Now, a durp on me. To clarify, I meant to say uphold the lower court ruling and overturn the Respect for Marriage Act.
ghs8956
It’s so sad that the highest court in the land believes that it’s OK to take away the righ/s of the very people that they’ve sworn to protect. This sets us on a heartbreaking precipice of what’s to come. Don’t forget to thank Mr.trunp for putting his republic people in those life long seats.
Grrrowler
Why is our side not giving them back what they’ve given us? As an atheist, my sincerely held beliefs tell me that I should not provide any services to christians or registered republicans. According to this ruling, that is my first amendment right. We need to see businesses owned by progressive-thinking people turning the tables on the bigots, using their own made up rules against them. The time for being nice is long past.
Openminded
Unfortunately, no business will survive attempting to force the minority belief on the majority. Not saying I don’t agree with your feelings but to quote an old man I used to work for, “I admire your spunk, but damn your judgement”. This is just part of being a minority, it sucks, but we must realize that these are just tiny steps back after we have enjoyed many major leaps forward. We can’t always win and this isn’t the end of the world as some bemoan. We must keep pushing forward, especially now when the moral majority is kicked back swigging a beer in victory and regain our stance. We’re still way ahead of where we were when I was young and we’re way far away from having to hide our existence in back alleys.
Diplomat
Not to worry about gay marriage: These days one of them just has to say he’s a girl or visa-versa and voila, “I now pronounce you husband and wife”.
Maybe with all the trans bat shit crazy bs stains on our LGB flag, the women slaugthering trans group, aka str8 bio-men in wigs, unknowingly gave us a loophole after all.
dbmcvey
Just when we thought Diplo couldn’t get any dumber.
Diplomat
Eyes wide shut there d?
Fname Optional Lname
If a state is going to abolish gay marriage they are certainly not going to acknowledge a trans person.
inbama
My right wing state of Alabama stopped issuing marriage licenses even to straights so as not to “force” Christian judges to issue them.
As draconian as that was, they are constitutionally bound to and do recognize all marriages here. I don’t know anyone who’s experienced discrimination in regard to taxes, hospital visitation, medical services, death and estates, and I’ve been though all of it myself.
dbmcvey
A ridiculous ruling. No one had asked her to do a website, she didn’t even do websites. That they didn’t just find she had no standing shows how corrupt this court is.
KissBananaPeels
Not just the Supreme Court but also the federal courts
Openminded
Obviously, none of us commenters are lawyers. I too thought you couldn’t claim damage without an alleged damaging act being committed. Apparently that is not the case in these types of claims. I think we’re better served not wasting energy on possible legal loopholes that frankly, I doubt multiple layers of courts all broke, but instead confront the actual problem. That said, it’s not really a problem for me as I refuse to give my money to anyone who doesn’t want to do business with me. IF it were essential services, that would be a different story, but I know of no case where essential services can legally be withheld from anyone.
fredk
So as an Atheist, if a person does not believe in any God, they are allowed by law per the Court to refuse service to anyone wearing a cross around their neck since that person’s belief goes against theirs? This will be interesting …
inbama
No.
This was a very NARROW ruling that only applies to speech. This does not mean a restaurant, a doctor, a car salesman, a realtor, etc. can refuse to serve you.
An artist or artisan who does not want to express certain ideas is protected.
So yes, if you’re an atheist baker and a Christian demands you make a cake saying “Happy Birthday, Jesus,” you can refuse and you’re covered by this same ruling as a Christian photographer who doesn’t want to photograph a gay wedding.
JClark
These issues are always a bit more complicated than that. Atheism or the absence of belief is treated as a “religion” for most purposes under the law. The service requested would have to be an artistic expression — and consequently protected speech — and the expression would have to be something like “Jesus is Lord.” The weakest link in this case and the others is the over-broad consideration of crafts like cake baking and website creation as fine art that deserves constitutional protection as speech. But, yeah, a lot of yahoo Christian restauranteurs or shop owners will now think it’s open season on the gays and start illegally denying goods and services because that’s how they understand this Supreme Court ruling in their little minds.
Pharmguy55
Since the SCOTUS has opened a can of worms, anyone can now refuse service to Supreme Court Justices, right wing Christians, Nazi sympathizers, proud boys, REPUBLICANS and anyone else they disagree with in principles and actions against the well being of Americans regardless or race or religion. Gay, Black, Asian Americans, indigenous Peoples, Muslins or any one else they have a religious objection or they offend the business owner by just existing.
inbama
Only if your business is art or writing.
The ruling is limited to “free speech.”
ScottOnEarth
There’s no way that low-rent website designer randomly decided to bring a hypothetical case before the courts. This was clearly a concerted effort spearheaded by some right-wing nut(s) and the Supreme Court was thrilled to hear the case. Marriage equality is next and they will absolutely not stop there.
mastik8
Sotomayer nails it, “Today the Court, for the first time in its history, grants a business open to the public a constitutional right to refuse to serve members of a protected class,”. The Right has set a precedent that will eventually bite them in the ass.
nm4047
You don’t vote, you reap the results. I’m on record that this will be last Democrat in the White House until the final collapse of the US. Secondly, if you ask the provider do they have an issue, they do, you move on. Start some social backlash against them. There are as many supporters if not more than there are opponents, just muster the troops, get them to vote so these restrictions decisions are reversed.
Joshooeerr
Oh, so Gay Twitter “swings back”. Well, the Supremes will be quaking in their boots then. Not. Sorry to break this to you Queerty, but Twitter is not about to change anything. It’s going to take people who actually get up off their butts, or at least use their computers to write something more effective than 40-word moan on twitter.
decrans
“So, Justice Barrett questioned her on things like, “What if there was a website that wanted to celebrate someone whose marriage began through an adulterous affair, would you be willing to do that?” “No,” even if it was a heterosexual marriage. So, it’s not about that particular class, it’s about a broader question: Can she be forced to speak through her designs in ways that she fundamentally disagrees with?”
Fname Optional Lname
Nobody is going to ask that their website wedding notate that the couple met through their horrid adulterous affair. This crunt is a just a lying Christian MAGA lover who was probably hired by one of the right wing groups who helped her get all the way to the Supreme Court. In the news today it was revealed that the person who supposedly requested a website for his gay wedding never actually made the request and he is a straight man who has been married to a woman for 15 years. This entire scenario was just a big scam for the right to go through the proper channels to open the door for legal discrimination. Gay marriage is next and they most certainly will not stop there. They will not be stopped until str8 white America is affected by one of their quests – like ending contraception or making divorce illegal
ralphb
Gee, I sure hope some mean ole gay hacker doesn’t hack into either her business or home computer, and cause her all kinds of problems……..wink, wink. Not that I approve of that sort of thing……….
frapachino
They held up the first amendment, without it we would have no voice.
buckhill2
I hate to say it, but Michelle Obama close your ears, they went low & we need to go lower. We all have beliefs, this ruling is about free speech based on beliefs. What constitutes speech, the rule indicated it is more than words, it includes graphics. Extend that hair styles, designer clothes, fabulous costumes, and awesome food displays, they all say something about the person who created it & who purchased it. Who stereotypically works in these industries, hmmm.. Maybe it’s time to pull a Roger at the BeeHive (Sordid Lives) and kick their sorry rear ends out of our businesses because our beliefs say we don’t condone Karens.
The bigger part of this is LGBTQ+ is not the only target, we’re just the canary. This ruling will get extended to support Anti-Semitism, Anti-Muslim, Anti-Mormon, Anti-other religions, and somebody will be embolden to go down the Anti-Black, Anti-Asian, Anti-Hispanic path. The argument will be as a good Christian, I don’t share those beliefs therefore I’m not creating anything for “those people”. This case didn’t reference the Bible per se, because gay being bad isn’t in there, nor is same sex marriage; that hurdle is cleared.
edensasp
Attempt??? WTF??? The Supreme successfully ruled in a 6-3 decision.
xanadude
We all need to do a heck of a lot more than “clap back on Twitter” VOTE, volunteer, stand tall and proud and don’t back down. Support businesses and people that support US, etc. Now more than ever a show of solidarity that we will no go away/back in the closet.