June 30, 2023 –
Today, our hearts are heavy as we see news of The Supreme Court ruling in favor of a Christian web designer in Colorado who refused to create websites to celebrate same-sex weddings out of religious objections, based on free speech grounds.
This decision serves a major blow to LGBTQ protections, which have in recent years been upheld and strengthened by landmark decisions at the nation’s highest court. We echo Justice Sotomayor’s sentiments in her dissent, stating that today’s ruling marks “a sad day in American constitutional law and the lives of LGBT people…By issuing this new license to discriminate in a case brought by a company that seeks to deny same-sex couples the full and equal enjoyment of its services, the immediate, symbolic effect of the decision is to mark gays and lesbians for second-class status.”
The Dorm is a proudly affirming mental health organization that stands firmly behind the rights of the LGBTQ+ community. We fear this ruling will further compound discrimination and have a stigmatizing and traumatizing effect on people who are already under attack in this country. This decision has the potential to not just weaken protections for LGBTQ+ Americans but other groups including people of color and those with disabilities.
To our Dorm clients, we encourage you to speak with your clinical team about anything you are feeling and how we can support and provide the resources you need to process this news and feel safe.
The Dorm Leadership Team
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