New Mexico rules homosexuals can discriminate against gender but heterosexuals can’t

Photographers in New Mexico who declined to photograph the “commitment” ceremony of a gender-segregated couple were fined $7,000.  The New Mexico Court of Appeals affirmed the pricey punishment.

What this means is that in New Mexico, it is fine for women with same-sex attraction to discriminate against men when choosing a partner, but it costs businesses $7,000 to decline to photograph gender-segregated  couples. 

World Net Daily:

A ruling from Judge Tim L. Garcia in the New Mexico Court of Appeals says states can require Christians to violate their faith in order to do business, affirming a penalty of nearly $7,000 for a photographer who refused to take pictures at a lesbian “commitment” ceremony in the state where same-sex “marriage” was illegal. 

Judges Cynthia Fry and James Wechsler joined in the ruling by Garcia, which involved Elane Photography, whose owners, Elaine and Jonathan Huegeunin, are Christians and declined to do photography for lesbians Vanessa Willock and another woman.The women complained under the state’s anti-discrimination requirements and a state commission, the New Mexico Human Rights Commission, imposed the penalty, which now has been affirmed by the appeals court judges. The judges explained in the 45-page ruling that the photography company is a “public accommodation” and those cannot discriminate under state law based on “sexual orientation.”

In other words, it's fine for Vanessa Willock to discriminate against men and choose a female partner, but if photographers decline to do business with a gender-segregated couple, they are guilty of discrimination.  The crazy thing about laws protecting "sexual orientation" is that they give sexual desire, which is fluid, more weight than sexual gender, which is inherent.

“The owners of Elane Photography must accept the reasonable regulations and restrictions imposed upon the conduct of their commercial enterprise despite their personal religious beliefs that may conflict with these governmental interests,” the judges wrote. 

Officials with the Alliance Defense Fund, which has been representing Elane, said there would be an appeal. 

“Americans in the marketplace should not be subjected to legal attacks for simply abiding by their beliefs,” said ADF Senior Counsel Jordan Lorence. “Should the government force a videographer who is an animal rights activist to create a video promoting hunting and taxidermy? Of course not, and neither should the government force this photographer to promote a message that violates her conscience. Because the Constitution prohibits the state from forcing unwilling artists to promote a message they disagree with, we will certainly appeal this decision to the New Mexico Supreme Court.”

This is more proof that single-sex marriage infringes on freedom of religion.

Gender matters, especially in marriage.