Lexington-Fayette Urban County Human Rights Commission vs. Hands On Originals

Hands on Originals is a screen printer in Lexington, Kentucky, that expresses messages on clothing, clothing
accessories, and other products. Hands on Originals’ owners are Christians who operate their business consistent with what the Bible teaches. As a result, they regularly decline to print messages that conflict with those teachings, such as messages containing violence, or a message promoting a strip club. The company has never refused a customer simply because of who they are; such a refusal would itself be contrary to the owners’ beliefs. They feel religiously obligated to serve all people, but to decline to promote all messages.

For these reasons, Blaine Adamson of Hands On Originals declined to print expressive shirts promoting the Lexington Pride Festival. He offered to connect the organization to another printer that would produce the shirts for the same price. Unsatisfied, the parade organizers filed a complaint with the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Human Rights Commission and alleging illegal discrimination. The lower courts properly held that Adamson did
violate anti-discrimination law. The Jewish Coalition for Religious Liberty joined the Religious Liberty Commission and the Kentucky Baptist convention in support of affirming those decisions. Amici demonstrated that an adherent’s faith impacts every aspect of his life and makes demands on his conscience at work as much at church.

The full brief is available for download here.