Christian photographer awarded $800k after refusing to promote same-sex weddings

A Christian photographer has been awarded $800,000 in legal fees, after successfully challenging a law that would have forced her to promote same-sex weddings.

Chelsey Nelson, a wedding photographer and blogger based in Louisville, Kentucky, started legal action against the Louisville-Jefferson County Metro Government in 2019 for being required to promote same-sex weddings if she photographs, edits and blogs on weddings between one man and one woman.

Three years later, a US district court ruled that the Government’s “Fairness Ordinance” cannot compel Nelson to promote same-sex weddings, express messages which are “inconsistent” with her beliefs, or prevent her from publicly explaining her stance. The $800,000 settlement has now resolved the legal costs.

‘Expensive’

Bryan Neihart, Senior Counsel at religious liberty group Alliance Defending Freedom, which supported the case, said: “The government cannot force Americans to say things they don’t believe.

“For almost six years, Louisville officials tried to do just that by threatening to force Chelsey to promote views about marriage that violated her religious beliefs. Louisville’s threats contradicted bedrock First Amendment principles which leave decisions about what to say with the people, not the government.

“This settlement should teach Louisville that violating the U.S. Constitution can be expensive.”

Victory

In 2023, Christian web designer Lorie Smith won her Supreme Court case against Colorado’s Anti-Discrimination Act in anticipation of attempts to force her to use her artistic talents to promote same-sex marriage.

In the 6-3 majority decision, Justice Neil Gorsuch argued that Colorado sought to force Smith “to speak in ways that align with its views but defy her conscience about a matter of major significance”.

He said that “as this Court has long held, the opportunity to think for ourselves and to express those thoughts freely is among our most cherished liberties and part of what keeps our Republic strong”.