But for many same-sex couples, it requires us to begin each conversation with wedding planners, cake makers, photographers and others by asking first if they are comfortable to do business with a same-sex couple. Although the decision in this case was based on a procedural issue, the ruling leaves mostly unanswered the question it was expected to address: For businesses that serve the public in states where civil rights protections exist for LGBT people, can business owners exempt themselves from these laws by merely citing a religious objection?įor any couple, planning a wedding is a time for celebration. The most recent example is the Masterpiece Cakeshop case, where the Supreme Court ruled this month in favor of a baker in Colorado who cited a religious objection by refusing to sell a cake for the wedding of a same-sex couple. Unfortunately, efforts to undermine the marriage equality ruling, and LGBT rights generally, have been underway in many states by individuals and groups who remain opposed to same-sex relationships and the expansion of civil rights for LGBT people. Supreme Court ruled in favor of marriage equality for same-sex couples nationwide. This month, we celebrate the anniversary for one of the most significant of these achievements, when three years ago the U.S.
