Christian Printer Sees Backlash for Refusing to Print Gay Magazine
The Christian owner of a printing firm in Northern Ireland faces being hauled to court over his refusal to print a gay magazine.
Nick Williamson, who is being advised by The Christian Institute, says printing the material would go against his religious beliefs.
But the editor of MyGayZine, Danny Toner, has approached a solicitor and referred the matter to the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland.
Williamson was asked to provide a cost estimate for printing the magazine, timed to coincide with a gay rights march in Belfast.
But in an email to Toner, Williamson said he did “not feel comfortable” taking the job on because it “would be in contradiction to my own faith.”
Williamson had initially explained: “Unfortunately due to the nature of the magazine we are unable to give a quote.”
But Toner said he was “shocked” and “annoyed” at Williamson’s comments, and said: “If we can take the printer to court, we will.”
In 2000, a Christian printer in Canada, Scott Brockie, lost his appeal against the Ontario Human Rights Commission to be allowed to refuse to print stationery for a homosexual business.
However, in that case it was decided that Brockie or his business would not be required “to print material of a nature that could reasonably be considered to be in direct conflict with the core elements of his religious beliefs or creed.”
