In what appears to be part of a disturbing trend, an Oregon bakery has allegedly turned away a pair of lesbian brides-to-be who sought a wedding cake.
KOMO News reports that Erin Hanson and Katie Pugh had scheduled a cake tasting with Fleur Cakes in Hood River, Ore. as part of the planning process for their forthcoming wedding. But Fleur Cakes owner Pam Regentin allegedly canceled the appointment as soon as she found out Hanson and Pugh were a same-sex couple.
"I mentioned Erin in passing, and said a 'she' in passing too, in the email," Pugh told KOMO News. "A few days later she called back and that was today. And called and verified it was a same-sex wedding."
The Associated Press quotes Regentin as saying she believes she has “the liberty to live by my principles.”
It's the second Oregon-based case of its kind to make headlines this year. In February, Sweet Cakes By Melissa owner Aaron Klein admitted he denied a lesbian bride-to-be a cake for her forthcoming wedding after she visited his Gresham shop on Jan. 17.
Klein, who reportedly owns the bakery with his wife Melissa, argued that he was simply living in accordance with his religious beliefs by rejecting the woman's request, NBC reported at the time. Furthermore, he believes his refusal to make the cake is protected by his constitutional right to practice his religion as he sees fit.
KOMO News points out that the Oregon Labor Bureau is still investigating the Sweet Cakes complaint.
In July 2012, a Colorado gay couple hoped to order a cake from Lakewood's Masterpiece Cakeshop but were reportedly refused by owner Jack Phillips, who is said to have told them his business doesn't support same-sex marriage.
Similarly, in November 2011, a lesbian couple was denied a wedding cake by the Christian owner of an Iowa-based bakery. "I didn't do the cake because of my convictions for their lifestyle," Victoria Childress, who runs her bakery from home, told KCCI-TV at the time. "It is my right, and it's not to discriminate against them. It's not so much to do with them, it's to do with me and my walk with God and what I will answer [to] Him for."
Before You Go
