Months after winning a Supreme Court case over his refusal to make a wedding cake for a same-sex couple Jack Phillips, in concert with designated hate group Alliance Defending Freedom once again is trying to push anti-LGBT discrimination under the guise of so-called religious freedom,”
Autumn Scardina tried to order a cake from Phillips’ Masterpiece Cakeshop in June 2017 with a pink interior and blue exterior to celebrate the anniversary of her coming out as a transgender woman. Phillips refused to make the cake, saying “it would have celebrated messages contrary to his religious belief that sex ― the status of being male or female ― is given by God, is biologically determined.”
Phillips, was then ordered by the state Civil Rights Commission into mediation with the trans customer for whom he had refused to bake a cake, and is now suing Colorado officials in federal court claiming they violated his rights to freedom of speech and religion.
“Colorado has renewed its war against him by embarking on another attempt to prosecute him,” the lawsuit alleges.
Phillips lawsuit argues, that the Supreme Court ruling allows him to decline customers for religious reasons. The court, however, did not address whether religious objectors to same-sex relationships can avoid anti-discrimination laws under the guise of “religious freedom” to refuse to serve to LGBT customers.
“The state of Colorado is ignoring the message of the U.S. Supreme Court by continuing to single out Jack for punishment and to exhibit hostility toward his religious beliefs,” said Kristen Waggoner, an attorney of the anti-LGBT hate group Alliance Defending Freedom, which is representing Phillips.
A representative for the Colorado Civil Rights Commission said that the commission could not comment on pending or active litigation and, by law, could not verify or disclose the existence of charges detailed by Phillips.