The U.S. Supreme court today, June 4 sided pastry chef from Colorado, which in 2012 refused to bake wedding cake for homosexual couples. The court ruled that Jack Phillips had the right to refuse the customers «religious beliefs». The voices of the judges were divided 7 to 2.
According to judge Anthony Kennedy, the pastry chef had legitimate grounds for refusal to execute the order same-sex couples. «The government may not introduce provisions that infringe the [freedom of] religious beliefs of citizens», — stated in the decree of the court. It is unknown if it’ll affect the subsequent failures of other chefs or, for example, florists. Anyway, it’s definitely loud precedent.
Five and a half years, 62-year-old Phillips, a bakery, Masterpiece Cakeshop, was sued with its customers Charlie Craig and David Mullins. Pastry defended the right choice «free artists for what and to whom they will sell.» Craig and Mullins, who spoke against discrimination of the rights of the LGBT community, won in the state appellate court. Earlier, Colorado and 21 state have already adopted anti-discrimination laws against the LGBT community.
In 2015, the U.S. Supreme court allowed same-sex marriage across the country. However, in the same year, justice Anthony Kennedy said: «Despite this, people who hold certain religious beliefs, can continue to believe that one should not «condone» gay marriage».
But the court of Appeals of Oregon upheld a lawsuit against a bakery that refused to make lesbian couple a wedding cake.
