A baker who refused to make a cake for a gay couple’s wedding citing his Christian faith has lost a fresh appeal in Colorado court. On Thursday, the Colorado Court of Appeals ruled that the cake Autumn Scardina requested from Jack Phillips and Masterpiece Cakeshop , which was to be pink with blue frosting, is not a form of speech. It also found that the state law that makes it illegal to refuse to provide services to people based on protected characteristics like race, religion or sexual orientation does not violate business owners’ right to practice or express their religion. Relying on the findings of a Denver judge in a 2021 trial in the dispute, the appeals court said Mr Phillips’ shop initially agreed to make the cake but then refused after Ms Scardina explained that she was going to use it to celebrate her transition from male to female. “We conclude that creating a pink cake with blue frosting is not inherently expressive and any message or symbolism it provides to an observer would not be attributed to the baker,” the court said. Mr Phillips, who is represented by Alliance Defending Freedom , maintains that the cakes he […]
