The Supreme Court on Friday, ruled in favour of Lorie Smith, a Christian graphic artist and website designer in Colorado, USA, who refused to design a website for a same-sex wedding.

According to Justice Neil Gorsuch, “The First Amendment envisions the United States as a rich and complex place where all persons are free to think and speak as they wish, not as the government demands.”

Justices in the majority said that important, civil rights laws cannot be used to trample free speech rights.

The case stemmed from Lorie Smith’s desire to begin offering web design services to engaged couples. The graphic artist filed the lawsuit after being advised that if she refused to work with LGBTQ couples for religious reasons, she’d likely be found in violation of Colorado’s public accommodations law, which prohibits various forms of discrimination.

Justice Anthony Kennedy said, ” The belief that marriage can only be between one man and one woman is an idea that long has been held  and continues to be held in good faith by reasonable and sincere people here and throughout the world.”

Smith, who opposes same-sex marriage on religious grounds and runs a business designing websites, sued the state in 2016 because she said she would like to accept customers planning opposite-sex weddings but reject requests made by same-sex couples wanting the same service.

She argued that as a creative professional, she has a free speech right to refuse to undertake work that conflicts with her views.

Smith’s lawyer, Kristen Waggoner, said the court had simply reaffirmed that Americans cannot be forced to say things they do not believe.

It could be recalled that five years ago, the court also ruled in favour of a Christian baker, Jack Phillips who objected to designing a cake for a same-sex wedding.

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