Lesbian Couple Accuse Christian Bakers of ‘Mental Rape,’ Awarded $135,000

04.27.2015 | News | Alicia Powe |

An Oregon judge has awarded lesbian couple $135,000 for “emotional damages” in a lawsuit against a Christian couple who declined to provide a wedding cake to the same-sex couple in 2013.

The lesbians couple, Rachel and Laurel Bowman-Cryer, claimed they felt “mentally raped” after Aaron and Melissa Klein of Sweet Cakes Bakery told them that providing them with a wedding cake would be against their religious principles.

They listed 88 symptoms of emotional distress they supposedly experienced their lawsuit including, “acute loss of confidence,” “doubt,” “excessive sleep,” “felt mentally raped, dirty and shameful,” “high blood pressure,” “impaired digestion,” “loss of appetite,” “migraine headaches,” “pale and sick at home after work,” “resumption of smoking habit,” “shock,” “stunned,” “surprise,” “uncertainty,” “weight gain” and “worry.”

The judge ignored the obvious, that a “loss of appetite” and “impaired digestion” do not lead “weight gain.”

“[T]he forum concludes that $75,000 and $60,000, are appropriate awards to compensate for the emotional suffering they experienced,” wrote Alan McCullough, administrative law judge for Oregon’s Bureau of Labor and Industries, in his proposed order.

Within hours of the ruling, the Family Research Council facilitated the establishment of a GoFundMe account to help the Kleins raise the money the need. In less than eight hours, more than $100,000 was raised. However, late Friday GoFundMe pulled the plug — sending this message to would-be donors:

“After careful review by our team, we have found the ‘Support Sweet Cakes By Melissa’ campaign to be in violation of our Terms and Conditions,” the message read. “The money raised thus far will still be made available for withdrawal.”

Anna Harmon, one of three attorneys representing Aaron and Melissa Klein, said, “It’s a shocking result and it shows the state’s relentless campaign to punish Oregonians who live and work according to their faith.”

The award will reportedly bankrupt the seven-member Klein family and force Sweet Cakes by to shut down. Harmon, said that the damages awarded were not limited to the sale of business assets, but would be taken out of their personal funds.

“The important thing to realize is this,” Harmon said, “This is real money that Aaron and Melissa are going to have to pay that otherwise would be used to pay their mortgage and feed their kids.”

Alicia Powe

Staff Writer

Alicia Powe is a staff writer for Daily Surge. She worked in the War Room of the Rudy Giuliani Presidential Committee and served as a White House Intern during the George W. Bush administration. Alicia has written for numerous outlets, including Human Events, Media Research Center and Townhall.com.

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