Catholic Social Services, a Catholic adoption agency in Pennsylvania, found itself under fire after discriminating against LGBTQ individuals by refusing to let them adopt children. In response, the city of Philadelphia argued that, since this adoption agency violated Philadelphia’s nondiscrimination laws, it would refuse to contract with the agency. Catholic Social Services then decided to file a lawsuit against the city of Philadelphia.
A ruling that leads to outrage
The Supreme Court’s ruling in the legal battle between the city of Philadelphia and Catholic Social Services has many in the LGBTQ community outraged. In its ruling, the Supreme Court stated that Philadelphia’s refusal to contract with Catholic Social Services violates the First Amendment’s Free Exercise Clause.
The Supreme Court also stated that Philadelphia “does not have a compelling interest” in its refusal to contract with Catholic Social Services. Adding to this, the Court ruled that the agency should get allowed to continue serving Philadelphia’s children in a manner that’s “consistent with its religious beliefs.”
Comparisons to the Masterpiece Cakeshop
Many are comparing this unlawful ban on LGBTQ parents to a similar case that happened in 2018, involving the Masterpiece Cakeshop.
This bakery drew a lot of backlash after finding itself embroiled in a same-sex family law court case. When it came time to deliver a ruling in Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado, the Supreme Court sided with the bakery.
In conclusion, LGBTQ individuals throughout the nation are expressing their disdain with this ruling. Many people feel that the Supreme Court siding with Catholic Social Services sets a dangerous precedent for companies. By citing religious beliefs, it could be easy for companies to avoid following anti-discrimination laws.