Flower Fight: Same-Sex Couple Donates $10,000 To Non-Profit After Settlement With Florist

By Anna King 

The Tri-Cities Washington chapter of a national non-profit LGBTQ rights group just got a windfall. The money comes after a settlement in the eight-year-long Arlene’s Flowers case.

After more than eight years a big court fight about discrimination versus religious freedom is over.
Rob Ingersoll and Curt Freed wanted their longtime florist to do their wedding flowers. She refused. They sued. The case was before the U.S. Supreme Court for consideration, but the 77-year-old florist decided to retire and settle for five thousand dollars.
The same-sex couple is adding a matching gift — and donating ten thousand dollars in all — to the local chapter of PFLAG. The group’s Carly Coburn says the money will buy gender-affirming items for local people in transition.

Carly Coburn: “Anywhere from clothing, hair products, deodorants, jewelry, makeup. It can be small things and very big things too.”

Transgender people experience high levels of violence and suicide.