The Kentucky Supreme Court heard arguments Friday over whether a Lexington company was allowed to refuse to print T-shirts for organizers of the city’s gay pride parade. Blaine Adams, the owner of Hands On Originals, refused to make T-shirts for Lexington’s Gay and Lesbian Services Organization in 2012, saying that doing so would have violated his religious beliefs. GLSO filed a complaint with the Lexington Human Rights Commission, which said the company had violated the city’s fairness ordinance. But Hands On Originals appealed the decision and courts have so far ruled against the human rights commission’s decision, saying the company’s actions were protected under the First Amendment. James Campbell, an attorney for Hands On Originals, argued the case before the state Supreme Court on Friday. “The first amendment in this case cuts in Hands On Originals’ favor. Because the first amendment ensures that the government can’t use a law to force someone to print or convey a message that they find objectionable,” Campbell said. The Gay and Lesbian Services Organization argues that the company violated Lexington’s fairness ordinance, which bans discrimination based on sexual orientation in employment, housing and public accommodations. The shirt they asked Hands On Originals to […]
