© 2024 Maine Public | Registered 501(c)(3) EIN: 22-3171529
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Scroll down to see all available streams.

Maine LGBT Group Says Supreme Court Decision Protects Against Discrimination

An advocacy group for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Mainers said Monday’s Supreme Court court decision favoring a Colorado baker who wouldn’t make a wedding cake for a same-sex couple actually affirms that states can protect LGBT people from discrimination in the marketplace.

Matt Moonen, executive director for Equality Maine, said the court ruling essentially concluded that the Colorado Civil Rights Commission had not acted impartially when it originally considered the case.

“What was interesting to us about this decision was that the court really didn’t go into the merits of the argument,” he said. “Justice Kennedy wrote that LGBT people absolutely have the right not to be discriminated against as they go through life and that states have the rights to make laws prohibiting such discrimination, so we were very happy to see that part of the ruling.”

Although the high court decision was a win for the baker, Moonen said the justices never really focused on the merits of the case and instead provided a ruling based on some biased comments made by some members of the Colorado Civil Rights Commission during the appeal process.