Planned Parenthood: In Masterpiece Cakeshop Case, Supreme Court
Confirms That Civil Rights Remain Law of the Land
For Immediate Release: June 4, 2018 (Updated: June 4, 2018, noon)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Supreme Court’s narrow ruling today, in Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission, found error in the Colorado Civil Rights Commission’s actions – not in this country’s civil rights laws. In fact, the Supreme Court’s opinion explicitly recognized that personal beliefs do not give people the right to deny LGBTQ people goods and services. Planned Parenthood rejects discrimination and takes pride in providing high-quality, compassionate health care for LGBTQ people in communities across the country. Our doors are open to everyone who needs access to health care in a safe and welcoming place.
Statement from Dawn Laguens, Executive Vice President, Planned Parenthood Federation of America:
LGBTQ people deserve dignity and respect, and we deserve to have our civil rights protected by law. The Supreme Court’s decision recognized this truth. Whether it’s denying a gay couple a wedding cake or stripping away LGBTQ people’s ability to access health care free of discrimination, no person, corporation, or institution has the right to impose their religious beliefs on others.
“Planned Parenthood will continue to provide high-quality health care to people of all sexual orientations and genders, and we stand with the advocates working to ensure that religious freedom does not become a license to discriminate.
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Planned Parenthood is the nation’s leading provider and advocate of high-quality, affordable health care for women, men, and young people, as well as the nation’s largest provider of sex education. With more than 600 health centers across the country, Planned Parenthood affiliates serve all patients with care and compassion, with respect and without judgment. Through health centers, programs in schools and communities, and online resources, Planned Parenthood is a trusted source of reliable health information that allows people to make informed health decisions. We do all this because we care passionately about helping people lead healthier lives.