In a blow to LGBTQ rights, the U.S. Supreme Court on Friday ruled that the constitutional right to free speech allows certain businesses to refuse to provide services for same-sex weddings, ruling in favour of a web designer who cited her Christian beliefs in challenging a Colorado anti-discrimination law.
The justices in a 6-3 decision authored by conservative Justice Neil Gorsuch overturned a lower court’s ruling that had rejected Denver-area business owner Lorie Smith’s bid for an exemption from a Colorado law that prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation and other factors.
Smith’s business, called 303 Creative, sells custom web designs. The
