While some people have no problem with those who are different from them, others seem to take serious offense. For instance, a Colorado baker decided he didn’t want to bake a “transgender transition” cake and was accused of discrimination. Here’s more about what happened in the situation.
Jack Phillips was a Christian cake baker and refused to bake a cake for a transgender lawyer named Autumn Scardina. The cake Autumn asked him to make was supposed to have a pink interior and a blue exterior. This would be meaningful to Autumn as she transitioned from male to female. Consequently, Jack decided not to make the cake and was accused of discrimination. He violated Colorado’s Anti-Discrimination Act which meant he had to pay a maximum fine. Besides this, Phillips was in legal trouble for not doing his cake-baking job for a same-sex couple. These two instances seem to indicate that Jack lacks the capacity to accept those who are different from himself. Not only was Phillips ordered to pay a $500 fine for violating anti-discrimination law in his home state, but Judge A. Bruce Jones also didn’t believe his refusal to bake, which Phillips based on religious views. In fact, the judge felt that Jack was simply bothered by Autumn’s gender identity, and this is why he didn’t want to sell a product to her. Judge Jones thinks Jack doesn’t find it appropriate to bake cakes for those who think they’re capable of changing their genders.
Although Jack was rebuked by the judge, he still continues to fight for his beliefs. Further, he wants to head to a higher court where he can appeal the decision. The Alliance Defending Freedom is his defense team, and a few of their most sought after attorneys will be coming to his defense. In addition, Kristen Waggoner felt that an activist attorney wanted Jack to change his way of thinking. Furthermore, this same activist threatened to sue again. Whether the activist is right or wrong in his/her opinions, Jack does have the right to feel the way he feels. But he also seems to have gotten personal in his business dealings by making the conscious decision not to sell cakes to some potential customers. And getting personal in business matters can be highly unethical and unprofessional. His refusal to do business with certain people could be bad for business. No matter what anyone may believe, one thing is clear. Everyone is a human being and this includes transgender people. Although everyone is entitled to their own personal beliefs, some of these beliefs can be inhumane. Maybe it’s time for those who lack empathy to reconsider how they perceive others.
