Masterpiece Cakeshop Case Summary

The Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission case is not about cake or food. At its heart, Masterpiece Cake is about discrimination. Americans decided more than fifty years ago that businesses that are open to the public must serve all members of the public. Protecting people from discrimination is part of the fundamental fabric of the uniquely American idea that we all enjoy equal treatment under the law.

There is no question that businesses can make decisions about what kinds of products they make or services they provide, however, businesses cannot arbitrarily choose who they will provide their goods and services to. The Constitution does not give a bakery the right to post a sign that says, “Pastries Are Sold To Heterosexuals

In reality, a ruling in favor of Masterpiece Cakeshop would have the opposite effect. In an article from ThinkProgress, many amicus briefs filed in Masterpiece Cakeshop argue that if the bakery wins the case, the ruling would destroy religious freedom because allowing LGBTQ discrimination would open the door for discrimination against religious minorities, like Muslims and atheists. The Muslim community in America is already extremely vulnerable, in fact, according to the article, Muslims surpassed atheists as the least trusted religious minority in the United

A victory for the bakery could resurrect the bromide that women should not be allowed to work outside of the home based upon religious beliefs. In other words, if the Supreme Court rules in favor of the bakery, then a cafe owner who objects to women working outside the home based upon religious beliefs could legally refuse serve lunch to a secretary who works in the business down the street or a dressmaker can legally refuse to sell an unwed pregnant woman a dress because the dressmaker does not believe - for religious reasons - that a woman should become pregnant out of