In a closely watched case balancing LGBTQ+ rights and freedom of speech, the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 in favor of a Colorado graphic designer who refused to create websites for same-sex weddings. The decision, authored by Justice Neil Gorsuch, affirmed the designer's First Amendment right not to express messages conflicting with her religious beliefs. The ruling centered around Lorie Smith, the designer who challenged Colorado's anti-discrimination law. Justice Gorsuch emphasized the importance of tolerance and allowing individuals to express their views freely, without government coercion.
The dissenting opinion, written by Justice Sonia Sotomayor and joined by Justices Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson, criticized the ruling as granting a "new license to discriminate." Justice Sotomayor argued that the decision relegates same-sex couples to second-class status and expressed concern about potential increases in anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination and violence. Her dissent referenced the Pulse nightclub shooting as an example of the dangers faced by the LGBTQ+ community. However, Justice Gorsuch countered that the dissent misrepresented the facts and failed to address the core issue of compelled speech.
The Pulse nightclub shooting, where 49 people were killed, was brought up in Justice Sotomayor's dissent as an example of anti-LGBTQ+ violence. However, official investigations have not definitively linked the attack to the shooter's views on homosexuality. Evidence suggests the target was chosen for its perceived lack of security, not its association with the LGBTQ+ community.
