ANTI-GAY WEDDING CAKE BAKER PROFITS FROM BIGOTRY

The US baker who refused to bake a wedding cake for a lesbian couple has seen an upsurge in business while the couple have accepted an offer from celebrity baker Duff Goldman to bake the cake for them.

When a woman approached Aaron Klein – owner of Sweet Cakes by Melissa bakery in Gresham, Oregon – to make a wedding cake for her same-sex wedding he turned her down on the basis of his Christian beliefs not approving of same-sex marriages.

He is now being investigated under the Oregon Equality Act of 2007 which bars discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation when providing services in the state.

Despite this, Klein’s business appears to have benefited from his bigotry. KATU television news reported that he’s seen a boom in conservative clients who agree with his stance and have rushed to support the bakery.

Dozens of LGBT activists have also staged protests outside the shop against Klein’s homophobic stance but this does not appear to have deterred the clients.

“Lots of support. Support coming through the door, support coming from – we get 25 or 30 letters a day,” said Klein.

In the meantime, the affected women, who have chosen not to release their names, have accepted an offer by Goldman, star of the TV reality show Ace of Cakes, to fulfil the service that Klein refused to take on.

“I said, ‘Hey I can fix this problem. Somebody was a jerk to them and I can bake them a cake. That’s what I can do,’” Goldman told ABCNews.com. “It involves cake, it involves love, marriage, all things I’m a big fan of,” he said.

In a statement, the couple thanked the “LGBT-supportive companies [that] have graciously offered their services to make our special day perfect”.

Klein has said that he’ll close down his shop rather than be forced to bake a cake for a same-sex marriage.