Why the US Supreme Court’s decision in favour of website designer who refused to serve gay couples is a free pass to discrimination

By denying LGTBQIA+ rights, the US Supreme Court's verdict is a tactical erosion of individual liberty, remains rather inconsistent with the country's jurisprudence, and is likely to cause a ripple effect around the world. 

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ON June 30, 2023, US Supreme Court, in 303 Creative LLC versus Elenis, ruled in favour of a Christian web designer who refused to create websites for the LGBTQIA+ community on religious grounds. 

The decision taken by the Supreme Court is a devastating blow to the court's decision in Bostock versus Clayton County (2020). In the landmark Bostock judgment, the court had extended federal civil rights law to gay, lesbian and transgender workers. 

The decision in 303 Creative LLC also contradicts Obergefell versus Hodges (2015), which legalised same-sex marriage in all 50 states US states. In a 6:3 majority, the court cemented its decision on the grounds of the right to freedom of speech.

The premise of the 303 Creative LLC verdict was set on the content posted on a web page. Lorie Smith, a business person, expressed her intention of expanding her business into the wedding sphere and simultaneously mentioned her reservations to create websites for same-sex couples.