We just had a disturbing loss in our case involving Lacey Smith hand Marli Brown, the two flight attendants that were fired for their religious beliefs.

Alaska Airlines terminated our clients for posting their concerns about the Equality Act’s impact on women and people of faith on an internal company website. The company posted that it invited questions and welcomed diverse views, but then it fired Marli and Lacey for their comments.

Yesterday, a Seattle federal judge issued a ruling against our clients.

A federal judge appointed during the Carter administration issued this alarming decision that deprives our clients of their chance to prove their case before a jury. Instead, the court decided to credit Alaska Airlines’ and the flight attendants’ union’s explanations.

It’s especially troubling because it empowers employers to punish employees simply for expressing their religious beliefs. It would give businesses leeway to discriminate against employees who hold religious beliefs about the nature of male and female or the need to protect women’s spaces, if done in the name of protecting other employees from hearing ideas that they find offensive.

“It’s chilling that Americans can be fired for their religious beliefs and a court of law would approve,” said First Liberty Senior Counsel Stephanie Taub. “Flagrantly disregarding federal civil rights laws that protect people of faith from discrimination, Alaska Airlines canceled our clients and the flight attendants’ union betrayed their trust.”

This is a setback. But the fight’s not over.

We’re going to take this case to the next level and appeal to the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

We’re going to continue to fight for our clients until Alaska Airlines and the Association of Flight Attendants are held accountable, and American employees are safe from discrimination.

Can Lacey and Marli count on your support?

Fighting a major corporation like Alaska Airlines at the appeals court won’t be easy. We need your help to win this case. Please support First Liberty and give today.