In early 2012, Lexington, Kentucky found itself at the center of a national conversation about religious freedom, discrimination, and LGBTQ+ rights — all ignited by a T-shirt order. The Gay and Lesbian Services Organization (GLSO), organizers of Lexington’s annual Pride Festival, filed a discrimination complaint against Hands On Originals, a local printing company and former vendor for the University of Kentucky.
The dispute began when GLSO sought bids for T-shirt printing for their fifth annual Lexington Pride Festival. After collecting quotes from various companies, the group selected Hands On Originals based on their competitive pricing. However, when the organization called to confirm the order, one of the company’s owners began questioning the group’s mission.
According to the official complaint filed with the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Human Rights Commission, the company ultimately refused to fulfill the order, citing their Christian beliefs and the nature of the event being promoted. The design itself did not include the word “gay,” but simply featured “Lexington Pride Festival” and a stylized number five.
GLSO president Aaron Baker expressed disbelief at the refusal, stating that the issue of sexual orientation should have had no bearing on a straightforward business transaction. “This has nothing to do with printing T-shirts or not printing T-shirts,” he said. “My reaction was, ‘What does this have to do with anything?’”
The case quickly gained attention because Hands On Originals had received approximately $200,000 from the University of Kentucky since July 2011. UK, however, stated that the company’s contract had just expired, and that other university vendors were bound by non-discrimination clauses, including compliance with local ordinances like Lexington’s Fairness Ordinance (201-99).
That ordinance, enacted in 1999, prohibits discrimination in housing, employment, and public accommodations based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Human Rights Commission officials noted that public accommodation complaints were rare, and this case marked a unique legal test in the ordinance’s history.
As the story spread, reactions were swift. Some community members defended the business’s right to operate according to its religious convictions. Blaine Adamson, a co-owner of Hands On Originals, issued a statement saying the company serves diverse customers but maintains the right to decline orders that conflict with the owners’ values. “It is the prerogative of the company to refuse any order that would endorse positions that conflict with the convictions of the ownership,” he said.
Others saw the refusal as a blatant act of discrimination, dressed in religious language. Catherine Brereton, a UK student and Gaines Fellow, called it homophobia plain and simple. “If they have a right to do that, where does it end?” she asked, warning that such actions could set a dangerous precedent in the fight for equality.
The incident triggered calls for a boycott of Hands On Originals, with a Facebook page quickly amassing over 1,000 supporters. In response, both Fayette County Public Schools and the Lexington city government placed temporary holds on business with the company, which had collectively paid over $80,000 to Hands On Originals since 2010.
Despite the emotional and political stakes, GLSO made it clear that they were not seeking financial compensation. “We just want to raise awareness that this type of discrimination is occurring in Lexington,” said Baker. “We don’t feel it is acceptable.” The organization hoped the community would respond by reevaluating their business relationships with the printer.
The case, still under investigation months later, was expected to take up to 180 days for resolution. Though it sparked polarizing reactions, it became a defining moment in Lexington’s civil rights history — one where the city was forced to confront the tensions between freedom of religion and freedom from discrimination public commerce.
