There is so much at stake tomorrow.
The Supreme Court of the United States will consider the Masterpiece Cakeshop case and determine whether businesses have the constitutional right to discriminate against LGBTQ people.
This is about so much more than buying a wedding cake. It is about whether our highest court will uphold the laws that protect LGBTQ people from being refused services or turned away because of who we are.
If the Supreme Court rules in favor of Masterpiece and gives them a sweeping license to discriminate, LGBTQ people will be even more vulnerable to discrimination in all aspects of our lives. From landlords, to medical providers, to social service agencies, to restaurants, to schools—the laws we have spent decades fighting for to protect our community could be shattered.
The implications of the outcome of this case extend beyond LGBTQ people. This case could set a new precedent for civil rights laws and be used against people of color, religious minorities, people with disabilities, and so many others. In essence, discrimination could be legally protected.
This case is part of a broader backlash against the progress the LGBTQ movement has made and their efforts are intentional and calculated. The group representing Masterpiece Cakeshop, the Alliance Defending Freedom, is a far-right hate group that has been working against LGBTQ people for decades.
This context makes even more clear what this case actually is about: ensuring that LGBTQ people are not treated as equal or seen as being worthy of protection.
The Supreme Court’s decision will unquestionably have a profound impact, and I encourage you to read more about the details of this monumental case and the arguments being used against us. I also encourage you to learn more about the Alliance Defending Freedom and the ways in which they are systematically working to take away the hard-won protections we have gained.
And I encourage you to not lose sight of all that is at stake.
Despite the nerve-racking reality we are facing tomorrow, I am cautiously hopeful knowing that the Supreme Court has encountered and rejected cases where businesses have tried to violate laws preventing discrimination. I am hopeful that the justices will not allow us to return to a time when businesses could tell customers “we don’t serve your kind here.”
And no matter what the outcome, we are determined to continue fighting for the right of all people to be able to be safe, to be protected, and to be who they are.
With pride, Kris
PS: Please share this short video from Freedom For All Americans to make sure that everyone in your network understands the significance of this case.