Brooklyn Community Pride Center is outraged by the Supreme Court's decision today, effectively giving businesses a license to discriminate against LGBTQ+ people, simply because they disagree with their sexual orientation or gender identity (303 Creative, Inc. v. Elenis).

 

This is a dangerous precedent that will have far-reaching consequences for our community. It will embolden bigoted businesses to refuse service to LGBTQ+ people for everything including essential goods and services, housing, employment, and healthcare. It could also embolden businesses, citing religious beliefs, to discriminate against other protected groups, such as people of color, women, and religious minorities. In addition to the legal implications, the Supreme Court's decision is also a blow to the emotional and mental health of our community. 

 

During a period of heightened anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric across the nation, the Court's decision sends a message that LGBTQ+ people are not welcome in our country. We must continue to fight for our rights, and we must never give up hope that one day we will be treated equally under the law.

 

Now, more than any time in the past decade, community spaces and services that support and uplift the LGBTQ+ community are vital to the health and success of our country. Brooklyn Community Pride Center recommits to being a safe space for community members to come together to heal from traumas, to organize for change, and to support each other through these difficult times.