"Mary Walsh and Beverly Nance took Friendship Village to federal court for sex discrimination in July, after the senior-living facility denied the same-sex couple’s housing application," reports SLPR. "Friendship Village cited its ‘Cohabitation Policy’ as the reason for the rejection. The policy defines marriage as between one man and one woman, as 'marriage is understood in the Bible.'"
Representing the plaintiffs were the ACLU of Missouri and the National Center for Lesbian Rights, which argued that Friendship Village discriminated against the couple on the basis of sex.
"Friendship Village’s denial of housing to Mary and Bev because they are two women, and not a man and a woman, is discrimination ‘because of sex’ in the most literal sense," said Arlene Zarembka, a lawyer for the plaintiffs. "That Mary and Bev are lesbians doesn’t change this analysis."
Lesbian Couple Sued Religious Retirement Home For Denying Them. They Lost.
Representing the plaintiffs were the ACLU of Missouri and the National Center for Lesbian Rights, which argued that Friendship Village discriminated against the couple on the basis of sex.
"Friendship Village’s denial of housing to Mary and Bev because they are two women, and not a man and a woman, is discrimination ‘because of sex’ in the most literal sense," said Arlene Zarembka, a lawyer for the plaintiffs. "That Mary and Bev are lesbians doesn’t change this analysis."
Lesbian Couple Sued Religious Retirement Home For Denying Them. They Lost.