Yelp, Apple, and PayPal all plan to sign an amicus brief encouraging the Supreme Court to rule that refusing service to LGBT people based on religious beliefs is not a First Amendment right, but rather anti-LGBT discrimination.
“The brief is being coordinated by the Human Rights Campaign and according to Axios, the deadline to sign on to the brief was Wednesday. The brief is reportedly due Monday,” the Hill reported. “A source familiar with the brief said that they expect more technology companies to sign on before it is submitted to the court.”
In a statement, PayPal claimed the bill would advance “the principles of inclusion and equality.”
“PayPal is committed to preserving human rights and advancing the principles of inclusion and equality that are at the core of our values,” they declared. “We seek to defend against actions that violate our values, which is why we are signing this amicus brief with other likeminded companies seeking to uphold critical protections against discrimination.”
The Supreme Court will hear the case of Jack Phillips, a baker who declined to custom-design a wedding cake to celebrate a same-sex marriage because his religion teaches that marriage is only between a man and woman.
A Rasmussen poll earlier this found a majority of Americans support the baker’s right to refuse to custom-design a gay wedding cake. Only 29 percent of Americans feel he should have been prosecuted for discrimination.
Earlier this year, 53 companies signed a brief, also organized by the Human Rights Campaign, calling for “protections” for transgender students, after one student was denied entry to the preferred restroom.
Charlie Nash covers technology and LGBT news for Breitbart News. You can follow him on Twitter @MrNashington and Gab @Nash, or like his page at Facebook.
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