Arizona Issues Limited Ruling on Religious Exemptions Case
PHOENIX—Today the Arizona Supreme Court issued a ruling in Brush & Nib LLC v. City of Phoenix, concerning whether to allow a calligraphy and stationery studio an exemption from the City of Phoenix’s long-standing ordinance protecting LGBTQ people from discrimination in housing, employment, and public accommodations. The court issued a limited ruling allowing the studio to potentially deny creation of custom wedding invitations to LGBTQ people.
Jon Davidson, chief counsel at Freedom for All Americans, released the following statement in response to the news
“Today’s ruling out of Arizona shows that the current patchwork of LGBTQ nondiscrimination protections across the country is unfair, unsustainable, and leaves too many people behind. All LGBTQ Americans should be able to live, work, and access basic services free from discrimination and harassment. The only way to ensure express and enduring protections for all LGBTQ people is for Congress to pass a federal law. Being treated fairly shouldn’t depend on what city or state we’re in. The Supreme Court will soon hear three cases on LGBTQ employment discrimination, and should affirm respect and dignity for all people, no matter where they call home.”
Phoenix’ LGBTQ nondiscrimination ordinance, as well as others in Arizona, will continue to remain in place. The ruling does not indicate that these ordinances don’t still apply in other situations than this instance. The decision states that the judges “do not recognize a blanket exemption” for the studio to the ordinance more broadly, and that the judges did not make a decision on “the general validity of the [Phoenix nondiscrimination] Ordinance or the Ordinance’s application to other individuals or businesses that are not before this Court.”
On October 8, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral argument in three cases about LGBTQ nondiscrimination at work. The Supreme Court has the opportunity to affirm that all LGBTQ people should be able to work hard, make a living, and support themselves and their loved ones without fear of humiliation, harassment, or discrimination at work.
Freedom for All Americans is the bipartisan campaign to secure full nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ people nationwide. Our work brings together Republicans and Democrats, businesses large and small, people of faith, and allies from all walks of life to make the case for comprehensive nondiscrimination protections that ensure everyone is treated fairly and equally.
[From A News Release]
This is in Arizona, which is one of the least-LGBTQ states in the country. It is the same state that passed a law stating that cops could stop anyone for any reason anytime just to check papers (fortunately was declared unconstitutional). With the current government in D.C. about as anti-LGBTQ as possible (outside of a Fundamentalist “Christian” church) we are due for a big upswing in attacks on LGBTQ, immigrants, and anyone who doesn’t bow to Trump’s Totalitarian policies.