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N.M. High Court: Photo Studio Showed Illegal Bias Against Lesbian Couple

N.M. High Court: Photo Studio Showed Illegal Bias Against Lesbian Couple

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The studio is a public accommodation and therefore broke the law by refusing to photograph the couple's commitment ceremony, the state Supreme Court rules.

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A New Mexico photography business violated the state's Human Rights Act by refusing service to a same-sex couple for their commitment ceremony, the state Supreme Court has ruled.

In a decision issued Thursday, the court found that Elane Photography, based in Albuquerque, violated the antidiscrimination law "in the same way as if it had refused to photograph a wedding between people of two different races." The studio had turned down a request to photograph the commitment ceremony of Vanessa Willock and Misti Collinsworth, the Santa Fe Reporter notes, with co-owner Elaine Huguenin saying the job would go against her Christian faith and the studio handles only "traditional weddings."

The court ruled that since Elane Photography is a business that markets to the general public, it is subject to the public accommodations provision of the law. "If Elane Photography took photographs on its own time and sold them at a gallery, or if it was hired by certain clients but did not offer its services to the general public, the law would not apply to Elane Photography's choice of whom to photograph or not," the decision reads.

Read more here.

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Trudy Ring

Trudy Ring is The Advocate’s senior politics editor and copy chief. She has been a reporter and editor for daily newspapers and LGBTQ+ weeklies/monthlies, trade magazines, and reference books. She is a political junkie who thinks even the wonkiest details are fascinating, and she always loves to see political candidates who are groundbreaking in some way. She enjoys writing about other topics as well, including religion (she’s interested in what people believe and why), literature, theater, and film. Trudy is a proud “old movie weirdo” and loves the Hollywood films of the 1930s and ’40s above all others. Other interests include classic rock music (Bruce Springsteen rules!) and history. Oh, and she was a Jeopardy! contestant back in 1998 and won two games. Not up there with Amy Schneider, but Trudy still takes pride in this achievement.
Trudy Ring is The Advocate’s senior politics editor and copy chief. She has been a reporter and editor for daily newspapers and LGBTQ+ weeklies/monthlies, trade magazines, and reference books. She is a political junkie who thinks even the wonkiest details are fascinating, and she always loves to see political candidates who are groundbreaking in some way. She enjoys writing about other topics as well, including religion (she’s interested in what people believe and why), literature, theater, and film. Trudy is a proud “old movie weirdo” and loves the Hollywood films of the 1930s and ’40s above all others. Other interests include classic rock music (Bruce Springsteen rules!) and history. Oh, and she was a Jeopardy! contestant back in 1998 and won two games. Not up there with Amy Schneider, but Trudy still takes pride in this achievement.