Colorado Baker Returns to Court After Activist Sues Over ‘Gender Transition’ Cake | National Catholic Register

A Colorado baker, Jack Phillips, is back in court to defend what he sees as his right not to bake a cake celebrating a gender transition, on the grounds that it would interfere with his religious beliefs.

In 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of Phillips, the owner of Masterpiece Cakeshop, who was sued for refusing to bake a cake for a same-sex wedding.

On Tuesday, the Colorado Supreme Court began hearing oral arguments in Phillips’ appeal of a lower court’s ruling that he discriminated against the person who sued him for refusing to prepare a pink birthday cake with blue icing.

This latest case began in 2017 when Autumn Scardina, a “transgender” attorney, asked Phillips to bake a cake to celebrate Scardina’s “transition.” Scardina then asked the bakery to make a custom cake depicting Satan smoking marijuana, to “correct (Phillips’) errors in thinking.”

After a trial court and an appeals court ruled against him, the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) appealed on Phillips’ behalf.

“Jack serves everyone at Masterpiece Cakeshop, including those who identify as LGBT,” ADF General Counsel Jake Warner told CNA in a statement. “Whether he creates a custom cake always depends on what the cake will express, not who is asking for it.”

“For more than a decade, government officials and activists have abused state law to threaten and punish Jack because they disagree with him,” he continued.

“Yesterday, we asked the Colorado Supreme Court to affirm that free speech is for everyone and ensure that the government cannot force Jack to create a custom cake expressing a message that violates his beliefs” , he said of oral arguments before the Colorado Supreme Court. .

The case is related to a recent Supreme Court decision upholding a graphic designer’s religious freedom, Warner noted.

“We also argued that the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in 303 Creative v. Elenis reaffirmed that Colorado cannot force artists to express a message inconsistent with their beliefs,” he said. -he adds.

Phillips opened Masterpiece Cakeshop in Lakewood, Colorado, in 1993 and runs the shop with his wife, Debi. Both prioritize their faith as Christians and don’t bake cakes that go against their conscience. Phillips has noted in the past that he will not make cakes for messages he disagrees with, including Halloween, divorces or any cakes containing derogatory messages.

“We hope the Colorado Supreme Court will protect free speech for all and finally bring justice to Jack,” Warner said.