WASHINGTON — More than 50 organizations joined in declaring their support today for equal dignity under the law for LGBT Americans. The statement of principle comes days before the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission.



Signatories are comprised of national, state, and local civil rights champions as well as social justice advocates and religious organizations representing diverse communities. On its digital platform, the coalition called for the high court to affirm all Americans’ rights to live free from discrimination, and that public accommodations remain “Open To All.” Signing organizations called for a recommitment to the promises made in the wake of the civil rights movement of the 1960s that businesses open to the public may not turn anyone away because of who they are.



Standing in solidarity with Masterpiece plaintiffs Charlie Craig and Dave Mullins, the coalition also spoke to the widespread implications of a Supreme Court decision against the couple, saying, “It would say there is a constitutional right to discriminate — which could be used not only against LGBTQ people but also against people of color and religious minorities, unmarried couples, single mothers, young people, people with disabilities, and many, many others.”

Among the coalition members are the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, the National Black Justice Coalition, and Planned Parenthood Federation of America, in addition to leading LGBT rights advocates GLAAD, Lambda Legal, the Human Rights Campaign, the National Center for Transgender Equality, and the National LGBTQ Task Force, among others.

“Our clients in the Masterpiece case have already felt the stinging harm of being turned away from a business simply because of who they are, a harm that no one should ever have to endure,” said James Esseks, director of the American Civil Liberties Union’s LGBT and HIV Project. “A ruling in this case to give businesses the right to refuse service to customers would shatter longstanding non-discrimination laws and have wide impacts on religious and racial minorities, single mothers, people with disabilities, and others. We are proud to stand with our allies as well as Charlie and Dave, our clients, in this campaign to encourage people to share their support for equality.”

“Nobody should be turned away or denied service just because of who they are,” said Kris Hayashi, executive director of the Transgender Law Center. “Allowing businesses to pick and choose which laws to follow would have devastating consequences for transgender and gender non-conforming people of color, who already face intense discrimination in every aspect of life.”

The full list of statement signatories is below:

Advocates for Youth

Americans United for Separation for Church and State

Anti-Defamation League

Asian Americans Advancing Justice/AAJC

Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists

Autistic Self Advocacy Network

Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law

Believe Out Loud

Center for American Progress

Center for Black Equity

Center for Reproductive Rights

CenterLink: the Community of LGBT Centers

Constitutional Accountability Center

Council for Global Equality

Diverse and Resilient

Equality California

Equality Federation

Equality Florida

Equality Michigan

Equality North Carolina

Fairness West Virginia

Family Equality Council

Freedom for All Americans

Georgia Equality

GLAAD

GLBTQ Legal Advocates and Defenders

GLSEN

HIV Medicine Association

Human Rights Campaign

Keep Our Birth Control Copay Free Campaign

Lambda Legal

Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law

Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights

Los Angeles LGBT Center

Main Street Alliance

NARAL Pro-Choice America

National Black Justice Coalition

National Center for Lesbian Rights

National Center for Transgender Equality

National Council of Jewish Women

National Health Law Program

National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health

National LGBT Bar Association

National LGBTQ Task Force

National Minority AIDS Council

National Partnership for Women and Families

National Women’s Law Center

Outfront Minnesota

People for the American Way Foundation

Planned Parenthood Federation of America

SAGE: Advocacy and Services for LGBT Elders

Southern Arizona Gender Alliance

The Trevor Project

Transgender Law Center

Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund

Union for Reform Judaism

Whitman-Walker Health

The full statement and more information on Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission can be found at www.opentoall.com.