[Jamie89]

Originally Posted by Northern Monkey

That gay cake thing.From reading the article it was'nt that they would'nt serve them because they were gay.It was because that couple wanted a gay pressure group slogan on the cake.I mean would you go into a muslim cafe and demand they make you a bacon sarnie because you're a gay meat eater?Maybe take them to court if they refuse?

Originally Posted by Northern Monkey

However this was in Northern Ireland.The cake makers probably did'nt think they would be asked for a gay wedding cake.Wedding in Northern Ireland does or did mean a man and a woman.A gay wedding cake would be exceptional circumstances over there and would not come under the usual 'wedding' banner.So gay marriage slogans on wedding cakes were also not on their menu.Just as bacon sarnies are not on a muslim cafe menu.

Discrimination against people based on their sexuality (which is what the bakery were found guilty of) is against the law, discrimination against people who have a preference for bacon isn't :/
The comparison only works if they normally sell bacon but refuse to sell it to a gay person (or they normally write slogans on their bacon but refuse to write a gay marriage slogan on one). It would only really work beyond that if bacon and bacon-eaters were a protected group with equal rights to lamb chops, but alas

The whole, 'they sell slogans but gay marriage slogans weren't on the menu' thing... the product they sell is customized slogans. So does the customer have a reasonable expectation to be served regardless of whether or not their slogan references gay marriage? Based on the law, yes they do. And as business owners it's the law they have to follow, their personal experiences of encountering gay people is irrelevant. Same as their personal views, or geography etc... the law doesn't stop applying to someone because they're not used to it or don't believe in it. They have every right to be surprised at the request, or to feel personally/morally/religiously against it, but none of those things change the law/what is reasonable for their customers to expect/their responsibilities as business owners.

(edit: sorry I know that's all completely off topic)