The owners of Christian bakeries win a call in the "gay cake" business


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The McArthur family, owner of Ashers Bakery in Belfast, won a Supreme Court ruling against a 2015 ruling that she sexually discriminated against gay rights activist and client Gareth Lee.

Lee had asked for a cake featuring the characters of Sesame Street, Bert and Ernie, as well as a message in favor of same-sex marriage.

But the bakery refused to make the cake because the owners said the message was in conflict with their Christian beliefs.

The bakery owners appealed the decision of the County Court of the Northern Ireland Court of Appeal in 2016, but this decision was upheld.

They then appealed to the London Supreme Court, where five Supreme Court justices unanimously allowed it.

Announcing the court's ruling, its president, Lady Hale, said: "The bakers have not refused to execute his order because of his sexual orientation," the Associated Press reported.

"They would have refused to make such a cake for any customer, regardless of their sexual orientation."

Gareth Lee, left, before a Belfast District Court in 2016, with Michael Wardlow of the Equality Commission.

She added, "The bakers could not refuse to supply their products to Mr. Lee because he was a homosexual or was supporting same-sex marriage, but that is a lot different from requiring them to provide an iced cake with a message with which they were deeply disagreeing. "

Lee, who is a member of the QueerSpace advocacy group, commissioned the cake in 2014 for a private ceremony celebrating the International Day Against Homophobia.

Lee's lawyer, Robin Allen, said on Wednesday: "It was a relatively minor incident in his life that has become extremely important and continues to be," PA reported. "It's a heavy burden to wear for an individual."

Same-sex marriage is illegal in Northern Ireland, unlike the rest of the UK, where it became legal in 2014.

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