Christian Couple Who Refused To Bake Cake For Lesbian Couple Violated Law, Rules Oregon Judge

An administrative law judge in Oregon has ruled that a bakery owned by a Christian couple violated the state's Equality Act when it refused to bake a cake for a lesbian couple in 2013.

In an interim order issued last week, Judge Alan McCullough of the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries ruled that Sweetcakes by Melissa, owned by couple Aaron and Melissa Klein, unlawfully discriminated against lesbian couple Rachel Cryer and Laurel Bowman-Cryer by denying them access to a place of public accommodations.

Under Oregon law, public accommodations are defined as "any place or service offering to the public accommodations, advantages, facilities or privileges whether in the nature of goods, services, lodgings, amusements, transportation or otherwise."

An administrative hearing will be held in March to determine the amount of damages that will be awarded to the same-sex couple.

The Klein couple admitted that they refused to bake the cake because of their religious beliefs.

The case stemmed from an incident on Jan. 27, 2013, when Cryer and her mom, Cheryl McPherson, visited Sweetcakes in Gresham, Oregon, for a cake-tasting appointment with the intention of ordering a cake for the wedding ceremony of Cryer and Bowman.

Aaron asked for the couple's names and Cryer told him that there would be two brides and they were her and Laurel.

He told Cryer that they did not make wedding cakes for same-sex ceremonies because of their religious beliefs. Cryer and her mom then walked out of the bakery.

In August of the same year, Cryer and Bowman-Cryer filed a complaint with the Civil Rights Division of the Oregon labor bureau. The division issued two formal charges against the Kleins for discrimination and sought at least $75,000 in damages.

"The Bible forbids us from proclaiming messages or participating in activities contrary to Biblical principles, including celebrations or ceremonies for uniting same-sex couples," said the Kleins in their affidavit, according to Reuters.

According to a statement by the labor bureau, Oregon residents may not be denied service based on sexual orientation. While the law provides exemption for religious organizations and schools, private businesses such as Sweetcakes are not exempted.

"The bakery is not a religious institution under the law," the labor bureau statement read.

The Klein couple denied any connection between the lesbian couple's sexual orientation and their action.

"Respondents' attempt to divorce their refusal to provide a cake for Complainants' same-sex wedding from Complainants' sexual orientation is neither novel nor supported by case law. As the Agency argues in support of its cross-motion, '[t]here is simply no reason to distinguish between services for a wedding ceremony between two persons of the same sex and the sexual orientation of that couple. The conduct, a marriage ceremony, is inextricably linked to a person's sexual orientation,'" the ruling said.