Supreme Court sides with Christian web designer

The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday ruled 6-3 that a so-called anti-discrimination law in Colorado violates an artist’s constitutional free speech and religious liberty rights. Christian graphic designer Lorie Smith challenged the law in 2016, arguing that the statute would require her to create content that went against her religious beliefs. The state repeatedly disagreed during a 6-year legal battle. Under the law, Smith could have faced financial penalties if she refused to make wedding websites for same-sex couples. Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote for the court’s conservative majority that, under the First Amendment, “all persons are free to think and speak as they wish, not as the government demands.”

Have there been any similar cases recently? Colorado bakery owner Jack Phillips in 2018 won a Supreme Court ruling on the same law. He argued that designing a cake for a same-sex couple infringed on his free speech rights. Phillips is now fighting another court case after he refused to create a cake to celebrate a gender transition.

Dig deeper: Read Steve West’s report in Liberties about Smith’s long legal battle.