07/01/2023

SCOTUS Deals Blow to LGBT+ Rights in Web Designer Case

The ruling permits discrimination based on a business owner's personal views

In a blow to LGBT+ rights, the Supreme Court of the United States' (SCOTUS) conservative majority on Friday ruled that the constitutional right to free speech allows certain businesses to refuse to provide services for same-sex weddings, a decision that the dissenting liberal justices called a "license to discriminate."

The justices ruled 6-3 along ideological lines in favor of Denver-area web designer Lorie Smith, who cited her Christian beliefs against gay marriage in challenging a Colorado anti-discrimination law. The justices overturned a lower court's ruling that had rejected Smith's bid for an exemption from a Colorado law that prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation and other factors.

Smith's business, called 303 Creative, sells custom web designs, but she opposed providing her services for same-sex weddings.

Please select this link to read the complete article from Reuters.