Christian printer turns down order for pro-LGBT business cards for fear of marginalizing fellow believers

A Christian printer in the U.K. has turned down a transgender diversity consultant's order for pro-LGBT business cards out of concern that it could marginalize his fellow believers.

Nigel Williams refused to print promotional materials for Joanne Lockwood's consultancy firm, which offers companies advice on equality, diversity and inclusion for transgender staff because he feared that it would "make pressure worse" for Christians, whom he believes are being forced to accept transgenderism in society.

"The new model of diversity is used (or misused) to marginalise (or indeed discriminate against) Christians in their workplaces and other parts of society if they do not subscribe to it," Williams said in a letter to Lockwood, according to Daily Mail.

"Although I'm quite sure you have no intention of marginalising Christians it would weigh heavily upon me if through my own work I was to make pressure worse for fellow Christians," he added.

Lockwood, who reportedly transitioned to being a woman in January, said that she was "gobsmacked" at the letter, adding that Williams' refusal had left her distraught and needing consoling from her wife.

"I think a point of principle is at stake. He wanted to make a point to me deliberately for his own motives. I have been the victim of some discrimination," she insisted.

She said that Williams could have easily ignored her request rather than give her a lecture on someone else's values.

It was reported that Lockwood first met Williams at a networking event in September and asked him whether he was interested in producing cards for her consultancy SEE Change Happen. Williams declined the order but indicated that he is interested in working with her in separate ventures.

The campaign group Christian Institute expressed support for Williams, saying he should not have to promote causes that are "flatly contrary to their own deeply held views."

"It is a fundamental tenet of free speech and freedom of belief that people should not be forced to help promote causes flatly contrary to their own deeply held views," the group stated, as reported by The Independent.

In a statement to Premier, Lockwood said that she does not want to compel anyone to do work that is contrary to their beliefs. She vowed that she will continue to defend trans people "in a world which still has a long way to go in its treatment of minorities."

The Christian Institute noted that the dispute is similar to that of Christian-owned Ashers Baking CO., which was accused of discriminating against a gay customer for refusing to bake a pro-gay marriage-themed cake.

In October 2016, an appeals court upheld a ruling which found that the bakery had discriminated against the gay customer.

Aidan O'Neill, the leading barrister for the case, had warned that such disputes could open "the floodgates" for more similar incidents, citing a Christian baker refusing an order for a cake celebrating Satanism, and a printing company run by Roman Catholics refusing to produce adverts calling for the legalization of abortion.