Supreme Court Hears Religious Challenge to Colorado's Anti-Discrimination Law

Protect and strengthen democratic society today and for the future. Invest in AllSides
Protect and strengthen democratic society today and for the future. Invest in AllSides
Protect and strengthen democratic society today and for the future. Invest in AllSides

See How AllSides Rates Other Media Outlets

We have rated the bias of nearly 600 outlets and writers!
See some of the most popular below:

Want to see more?
Check out the AllSides Media Bias Chart, or go to our Media Bias Ratings page to see everything.

See How AllSides Rates Other Media Outlets

We have rated the bias of nearly 600 outlets and writers!
See some of the most popular below:

Want to see more?
Check out the AllSides Media Bias Chart, or go to our Media Bias Ratings page to see everything.

See How AllSides Rates Other Media Outlets

We have rated the bias of nearly 600 outlets and writers!
See some of the most popular below:

Want to see more?
Check out the AllSides Media Bias Chart, or go to our Media Bias Ratings page to see everything.

Invest in

Invest in

Invest in

What America Do We Want to Be?

Join Living Room Conversations, our civil dialogue partner, and America Indivisible for a nationwide conversation on April 13, Thomas Jefferson’s 276th birthday. "Reckoning with Jefferson: A Nationwide Conversation on Race, Religion, and the America We Want to Be" will be held via in-person and online video discussions. Sign up today!

What America Do We Want to Be?

Join Living Room Conversations, our civil dialogue partner, and America Indivisible for a nationwide conversation on April 13, Thomas Jefferson’s 276th birthday. "Reckoning with Jefferson: A Nationwide Conversation on Race, Religion, and the America We Want to Be" will be held via in-person and online video discussions. Sign up today!

What America Do We Want to Be?

Join Living Room Conversations, our civil dialogue partner, and America Indivisible for a nationwide conversation on April 13, Thomas Jefferson’s 276th birthday. "Reckoning with Jefferson: A Nationwide Conversation on Race, Religion, and the America We Want to Be" will be held via in-person and online video discussions. Sign up today!

Practical, engaging webinars designed to transform how you approach current events and facilitate productive classroom discussions.

The Art of Discussion - Civic Learning Week

Wednesday March 12, 2025 | 6:00 PM Eastern Time

Learn how to facilitate respectful dialogue across political and social divides using Mismatch, our platform for connecting students with diverse viewpoints.

Register for the webinar PD Benefits Page
 

Practical, engaging webinars designed to transform how you approach current events and facilitate productive classroom discussions.

The Art of Discussion - Civic Learning Week

Wednesday March 12, 2025 | 6:00 PM Eastern Time

Learn how to facilitate respectful dialogue across political and social divides using Mismatch, our platform for connecting students with diverse viewpoints.

Register for the webinar PD Benefits Page
 

Practical, engaging webinars designed to transform how you approach current events and facilitate productive classroom discussions.

The Art of Discussion - Civic Learning Week

Wednesday March 12, 2025 | 6:00 PM Eastern Time

Learn how to facilitate respectful dialogue across political and social divides using Mismatch, our platform for connecting students with diverse viewpoints.

Register for the webinar PD Benefits Page
 

See How AllSides Rates Other Media Outlets

We have rated the bias of nearly 600 outlets and writers!

See some of the most popular below:

Want to see more?

Check out the AllSides Media Bias Chart, or go to our Media Bias Ratings page to see everything.

See How AllSides Rates Other Media Outlets

We have rated the bias of nearly 600 outlets and writers!

See some of the most popular below:

Want to see more?

Check out the AllSides Media Bias Chart, or go to our Media Bias Ratings page to see everything.

See How AllSides Rates Other Media Outlets

We have rated the bias of nearly 600 outlets and writers!

See some of the most popular below:

Want to see more?

Check out the AllSides Media Bias Chart, or go to our Media Bias Ratings page to see everything.

 

 

 

Support AllSides

Please consider becoming a sustaining member or making a one-time donation to help keep AllSides online.

Become a Sustaining Member

Make a one-time donation.

Support AllSides

Please consider becoming a sustaining member or making a one-time donation to help keep AllSides online.

Become a Sustaining Member

Make a one-time donation.

Support AllSides

Please consider becoming a sustaining member or making a one-time donation to help keep AllSides online.

Become a Sustaining Member

Make a one-time donation.

The Supreme Court heard arguments Monday in a Christian business owner's challenge to a Colorado anti-discrimination law.

The Debate: The Colorado law mandates that people enjoy the "full and equal" service of all public business regardless of "disability, race, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, national origin, or ancestry." The business owner argues that her website design business shouldn't be required to serve gay couples because it goes against her faith-based opposition to same-sex marriage.

For Context: The Supreme Court heard similar arguments over the same law in 2016 after Colorado’s civil rights commission penalized a baker for declining to bake a wedding cake for a same-sex couple.

Key Quotes: Liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayor asked, "How about people who don’t believe in interracial marriage? Or about people who don’t believe that disabled people should get married? Where’s the line?" Conservative Justice Samuel Alito then asked whether it’s "fair to equate opposition to same-sex marriage to opposition to interracial marriage?" He also asked if businesses can be "forced to write vows or speeches that espouse things they loath?"

How the Media Covered It: Outlets across the spectrum said the court's conservative majority seemed likely to side with the business owner, who a headline from LGBTQ Nation described as "anti-LGBTQ." Left-rated outlets tended to focus more on arguments in favor of the law. Right-rated outlets more often highlighted the business owner's faith and concerns about encroachments on religious freedom.

Topics
Publish
Publish
Community
Region

The Supreme Court heard arguments today in a case that could curtail states that seek to ban anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination, 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis.

Lorie Smith of Denver, Colorado owns 303 Creative, a web design business, and she sued the state preemptively to get a religious exemption to the state’s anti-discrimination law because she doesn’t want to make websites for same-sex couples’ weddings.

The US Supreme Court has heard arguments in the case of a graphic designer who refused to create wedding websites for same-sex couples.

It is the latest case to reach the top court that pits free speech rights against anti-discrimination laws.

Lorie Smith, from Colorado, argues she cannot offer her services to same-sex couples because of her Christian faith.

But this may violate a state law prohibiting businesses from refusing service due to sexual orientation.

Most US states have similar anti-discrimination laws in place.

The Supreme Court grappled Monday with balancing free speech against gay rights, hearing a case involving a Colorado website designer who says she shouldn’t be compelled to violate the tenets of her faith by creating products for same-sex marriages.

Web designer Lorie Smith in her challenge of Colorado’s pro-LGBTQ law is asking the Supreme Court to protect her First Amendment right not to be forced to work on something she opposes.