A San Francisco technology firm has revised its policies following a lawsuit alleging religious discrimination, brought by a Christian ministry.
Holy Sexuality, a nonprofit organization offering video resources promoting a particular understanding of sexuality and gender based on biblical teachings, initiated legal action against Asana, a project management software company, in February. The lawsuit claimed that Asana denied Holy Sexuality access to its standard 50% nonprofit discount for subscription services, a benefit extended to other qualifying organizations.
According to court documents, Asana’s policy previously excluded religious nonprofits “solely dedicated to propagating a specific faith” from receiving this financial assistance. Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), a legal organization focused on defending religious freedom, argued that this exclusion violated California’s Civil Rights Act.
The case concluded with a settlement less than two months after the initial complaint was filed. Asana agreed to provide Holy Sexuality with the nonprofit discount and remove the discriminatory language from its policy.
“Christians and individuals of faith are not second-class citizens in California,” stated Mathew Hoffmann, ADF Legal Counsel. “San Francisco tech companies cannot deny discounts based on religious affiliation. Asana’s swift reversal—providing the discount to Holy Sexuality and eliminating the discriminatory policy—is a positive outcome.”
Asana provided this response: “Asana is committed to supporting organizations that are working to achieve their missions. Our nonprofit program has already aided over 15,000 mission-driven groups. Moving forward, we will offer discounts to any qualifying nonprofit with a valid 501(c)(3) designation from the IRS. Holy Sexuality has been a valued customer since August 2024 and will continue using our platform with access to the nonprofit discount.”
Christopher Yuan, founder of Holy Sexuality and an author and speaker, expressed his gratitude.
“Our nation’s founding principles include the free exercise of religion. However, some corporations, fueled by certain ideologies, have sought to discriminate unlawfully based on religious beliefs.” He further stated, “We are thankful for this victory, hoping it serves as a reminder that California law protects all religions from discrimination. Equal treatment is fundamental to our society, and I celebrate this outcome as a step in the right direction. We hope other businesses will cease discriminating on the basis of faith.”
ADF has agreed to dismiss the lawsuit following the settlement agreement.
* Holy Sexuality founder, Christopher Yuan, is a Christian author, speaker, and teacher.
* Asana’s nonprofit discount program has supported over 15,000 organizations.
* The case highlights concerns about potential religious discrimination in the technology sector.
