Christian Business Ordered To Attend Diversity Training For Refusing To Make Gay Pride T-Shirts

A Christian business in Kentucky is being ordered to send its employees to diversity training for refusing to print T-shirts for Gay Pride event, the Lexington Herald-Leader is reporting.

Hands On Originals, a company that makes customized T-shirts, as well as customized coffee mugs, blankets, and other products, ran afoul of a Kentucky gay rights organization in 2012 after the owner refused to print custom T-shirts for the Lexington Pride Festival, a gay rights event.

In February 2012, according to The Daily Caller, Don Lowe of the Gay and Lesbian Services Organization approached several printers in the Lexington area, including the Christian business Hands On Originals (HOO), about making T-shirts for the Pride Festival. An HOO representative originally agreed to print the shirts, until HOO’s owner, Blaine Adamson, learned about it. He attempted to direct the organization to another printer who would do the work.

“[Hands On Originals] and its owners did not want to convey the ideological message that people should take pride in engaging in sexual relationships or sexual activity outside of a marriage between one man and one woman.”

Instead of going to a printer that the Christian business owner recommended, Mr. Lowe filed a complaint, and today Kentucky’s Human Rights Commissioner Greg Munson issued his ruling.

“The evidence of record shows that [Hands On Originals] discriminated against GLSO because of its members’ actual or imputed sexual orientation by refusing to print and sell to them the official shirts for the 2012 Lexington Pride Festival.”

Christian rights organization The Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) represented HOO in the suit. In their published response to the ruling, ADF said that the ruling means Christian business would have to do business with hate groups such as the Westboro Baptist Church.

“No one should be forced by the government — or by another citizen — to endorse or promote ideas with which they disagree.”

Raymond Sexton, of the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Human Rights Commission, praised the ruling — which will require the owner and employees of the Christian business to attend mandatory diversity training — telling the Lexington Herald-Leader that this case is just the type of thing intended by Lexington’s Fairness Ordinance.

“If you’re going to do business in Lexington, you must make your goods and services accessible to everyone regardless of the protected classes, including sexual orientation and gender identity… If this was a case involving race, religion or national origin, there would be no debate on right or wrong.”

Do you believe that Christian businesses should be required to undergo diversity training and provide goods and services to organizations that they disagree with? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

[Image courtesy of: PachecoOOO]