A legal case against a Christian baker, who refused to make a cake celebrating a ‘gender transition’, has been dropped following months of dispute.
Jack Phillips was taken to court by the Colorado Civil Rights Commission which accused him of discriminating against Autumn Scardina, a male lawyer identifying as a woman.
This is the second time the State of Colorado has failed in an attempt to prosecute the baker for wishing not to provide cakes promoting LGBT issues.
‘Sincere religious beliefs’
Last year Mr Phillips won a similar case at the US Supreme Court after he rejected a request to provide a same-sex wedding cake.
He won the case after proving “hostility” against his “sincere religious beliefs”.
The Masterpiece Cakeshop owner said he was willing to take the new case to the Supreme Court too, affirming that sex “is given by God… and cannot be chosen or changed”.
Case dropped
The case has now been dropped by the courts and a decision to end all legal action against the baker was approved unanimously by the Colorado Civil Rights Commission.
Jim Campbell, a lawyer from US religious liberty organisation Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) who supported Phillips, said: “We hope that the state is done going along with obvious efforts to harass Jack.
“He shouldn’t be driven out of business just because some people disagree with his religious beliefs and his desire to live consistently with them.”
‘Great news’
ADF released a statement saying: “Jack’s victory is great news for everyone. Tolerance and respect for good-faith differences of opinion are essential in a diverse society like ours.”
And Phillips later called his victory “a win for freedom.”
He added: “I’m very grateful and looking forward to serving my customers as I always have: with love and respect.”