Tag Archives: public accommodations

Nobody has ASKED the Brush & Nib studio to create any same-sex wedding invitations, but they’re suing to overturn Phoenix’s public accommodations law just in case. Via press release: Alliance Defending Freedom attorneys representing a Phoenix art studio that specializes in hand-painting, hand-lettering, and calligraphy for weddings and other events filed suit in state court Thursday to challenge a city …

Via press release from the ACLU: The American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Mississippi today filed a lawsuit to challenge an anti-LGBT law passed this spring that allows public officials and businesses to refuse to serve gay and transgender individuals. The lawsuit, which targets the registrar of vital records, was filed on behalf of ACLU of Mississippi members …

The Irish Times reports: Christian bakers found guilty of discrimination for refusing to make a cake with a pro-gay marriage slogan could not commit a sin by going against their deeply held consciences, their lawyer has told an appeal hearing. The McArthur family, who run Ashers Baking Company in Belfast, are seeking to overturn a judgment which found they acted …

But their right to rake in about $650,000 in donations? It’s what White Jesus would want. The Oregonian reports: The Gresham bakers who made national headlines after refusing to bake a cake for a same-sex wedding are fighting back against Oregon regulators. In a brief filed in the Oregon Court of Appeals this week, Aaron and Melissa Klein say the …

Yet another loss for Alliance Defending Freedom. Via press release from the ACLU: The Colorado State Supreme Court decided today to let stand an appellate court ruling that Masterpiece Cakeshop violated Colorado’s anti-discrimination law when it refused to sell a same-sex couple a cake for their wedding reception. “The highest court in Colorado today affirmed that no one should be …

From the New Orleans Times-Picayune: A woman who overheard a cashier at a New Orleans Family Dollar store loudly expressing homophobic sentiments to customers with a “hateful passion” said she was denied service after she identified herself as gay and asked the cashier to stop. Videos recorded by Melissa Langford, 34, capture the moments after her initial confrontation as the …

In the face of international furor over North Carolina’s hate law, the Missouri House Emerging Issues Committee yesterday delayed a vote on SJR39, the anti-LGBT “license to discriminate” bill which last month passed in the state Senate after an epic 39-hour filibuster by Democrats. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports: “A few of them (committee members) have asked for more time, …

“God has a sense of humor. Why else would he invent the porcupine and the giraffe? Something can be devilishly funny, but this skit is diabolical. God has only one real enemy — Satan. Satan ridicules faith, and they’re taking Satan’s side. They’re also ridiculing me and the film, telling impressionable young people not to see it because it’s ridiculous. …

THREE shows cancelled. From the band’s Facebook page: While the enjoyment of our fans is our central concern, and we have been looking forward to celebrating forty years of history performing for our listeners in North Carolina with spectacular live shows this spring, human rights are more important. It is with deep regret, that I must announce the cancellation of …

The Washington Post has evaluated North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory’s statements in the video accompanying last week’s executive order and given him “Three Pinocchios.” They write: By saying he is “taking action to affirm and improve the state’s commitment to privacy and equality” through his executive order, McCrory creates the illusion that there will be more changes than he can …

North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory appeared on Meet The Press this morning, where he claimed that he was recently congratulated by black residents for protecting them from evil LGBTs. McCrory also stumbled over the name of the Human Rights Campaign, calling them the “Human Relations, uh, Rights Council.” McCrory then exclaimed, “My God, they are more powerful than the NRA!” …

Raw Story sets up the video: In the clip — from the makers of God On The Run and Angel In Denim: The Kim Davis Story — cast member Vanessa Bayer plays a “small town baker without a care” until a same-sex couple demands she bake their wedding cake, causing her faith to be “tested.” Despite being told by a …

Add Los Angeles to the lengthy boycott list: The North Carolina law “overturns all state protections for gay and lesbians and puts new discrimination on the books,” according to Councilman Mike Bonin, who proposed the resolution that was approved on a 12-0 vote. Bonin said the Mississippi law allows rental car businesses to turn away gay couples, and allows for …

From the Washington Post‘s letters to the editor: Regarding Kathleen Parker’s April 12 op-ed column, “Bigotry raises its hideous head in North Carolina”: Let me set the record straight: North Carolina proudly welcomes all people to live, work and visit our great state. We have long-held traditions of ensuring equality for all of our citizens and our visitors while respecting …

From their statement: Cirque du Soleil strongly believes in diversity and equality for every individual and is opposed to discrimination in any form. The new HB2 legislation passed in North Carolina is an important regression to ensuring human rights for all. We therefore choose to cancel our scheduled performances of OVO in Greensboro (April 20-24) and our scheduled performances in …

Yesterday a spokesman for North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory called the Human Rights Campaign “a shadowy, left-wing group funded by anonymous donors that is recklessly leading the charge to mislead the public and smear North Carolina.” Today we get the below HRC clip with calls McCrory out on his lies.

Yesterday Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant appeared on the American Family Association’s radio show to declare that he signed his state’s anti-LGBT bill in order to protect churches from being closed because they won’t host same-sex weddings. Seriously. Right Wing Watch has the transcript: “This is about the churches,” Bryant said. “The next stop will be American Family Radio and it …

From the Raleigh News & Observer: Protesters increased the level of noise surrounding the state’s new LGBT law Wednesday evening by setting off dozens of air horns at the governor’s mansion. About 100 opponents of House Bill 2 gathered, many of them wearing black T-shirts that said “Can you hear us now, Pat?” They stood on two sides of Gov. Pat …

CBS News reports: Lawmakers in state after state are passing bills to protect those who cite religious beliefs for refusing to serve or employ gay or transgender people. CBS News wondered why so many of these laws — including some that limit access to public restrooms — are surfacing now … and who’s behind all of this? We went and …

Fortune reports: CEOs from hundreds of companies including Patagonia and Ben & Jerry’s had planned to meet in North Carolina this October to talk about using business for social good. Now, they’re not coming. In response to a controversial new state law aimed at gay and transgender people, a group of firms designated as “Certified B” ethical corporations say they …