Chelsey Nelson (pictured) is a Christian who owns a photography studio in Louisville. Most of her work is wedding photography, and she blogs about these weddings on her website. Because of her Christian convictions, she holds to a Biblical view of marriage and understands it to be a sacred union exclusively between one man and one woman. Based on those beliefs, she sought to limit her business to only events that fit that biblical definition. This decision put her at odds with Louisville’s LGBTQ “fairness” ordinance.
The ordinance bans discrimination based on “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” in employment, housing, and public accommodations. Under this ordinance, failure to provide services to gay or trans “couples,” regardless of the reason, would be considered discrimination and illegal. Individuals or businesses who violate the ordinance could face up to $1,000 in fines per violation and could be sued by those claiming to be victims of discrimination.
It didn’t matter that Nelson’s views are an expression of her freedom of religion or that LGBTQ lifestyles aren’t protected under the Constitution. If Chelsey wanted to have a photography business in Louisville, the ordinance sought to require her to work at both traditional weddings and gay “weddings.” She also had to celebrate gay “weddings” the same way she celebrates traditional weddings on her website. If she failed to do so, she could be sued. Because of this, in 2019, attorneys from Alliance Defending Freedom filed the lawsuit Chelsey Nelson Photography v. Louisville-Jefferson County Metro Government to protect and defend her First Amendment rights.
Last year, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky upheld Nelson’s religious freedom. The ruling protects Chelsey’s right to communicate messages that are derived from her deeply held religious convictions without fear of governmental intrusion or retaliation. Furthermore, the court ruled that the city of Louisville must pay nominal damages for obstructing her freedom of speech.
In March, the city of Louisville agreed to pay $800,000 in attorneys’ fees for violating Chelsey’s First Amendment rights. Despite the efforts of LGBTQ activists, Chelsey’s story is a reminder that we still live in a country that values freedom of religion and free speech.
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