Media contact:
Sandra Wellhausen
swellhausen@wrightoncomm.com
C: 619-245-8866
IRVINE, Calif. (June 4, 2018) – Today the U.S. Supreme Court narrowly ruled against the Colorado Civil Rights Commission in a case where a baker refused to make a wedding cake for an LGBTQ couple citing religious beliefs.
In this particular case, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled based on concerns unique to this case and ruled that the Colorado Civil Rights Commission’s handling of this case was flawed but reaffirmed the equal rights of the LGBTQ plus community to be free from discrimination.
While this ruling does not change the LGBTQ community’s basic civil rights, it is a setback at the Supreme Court for the LGBTQ community. This ruling will give same-sex couples more reasons to fear that businesses won’t always welcome them or serve them.
“As an organization that cares for all people in our community with compassion, empathy and respect, we will not let this ruling slow us down,” said Phil Yaeger, executive director and CEO, Radiant Health Centers. “We will continue to support and fight for equal rights for our LGBTQ plus community. While our mission is focused on advancing the unique health needs of our LGBTQ plus community, we see discrimination in any professional setting—from bakeries to doctors’ offices—as harmful to the health of Orange County.”
Already four in 10 youths say the community they live in is not accepting of LGBT people, and members the LGBT community are more likely to attempt suicide.
In the healthcare setting alone, almost 9,000 LGBTQ residents of Orange County are without health insurance, and many live at or below the poverty level so even basic healthcare is out of reach, let alone HIV prevention or suppression medications and mental or behavioral health counseling.
“To truly create a healthy Orange County for all, we need the discrimination against our LGBTQ plus community to end,” said Yaeger. “Today’s ruling is unfortunately a step in the wrong direction.”
About Radiant Health Centers
Radiant Health Centers has provided more than three decades of exceptional care and support to people affected by HIV and their loved ones. It has been instrumental in driving new HIV transmissions down over the past 15 years; however, six people a week in Orange County are still diagnosed with HIV.
Radiant Health Centers encompasses traditional HIV testing and prevention outreach as well as long-standing services to Orange County’s HIV positive community while also creating a safe space to help more members of our LGBT community in need of compassionate care. Learn more at www.radianthealthcenters.org.
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