Despite same-sex marriage being legalized in the states, it seems like it’s nearly impossible to get through wedding planning without running into some blatant homophobia along the way. And apparently that’s remains true no matter what part of the country you’re in.
Tiffany Allen and Angel Lane are from St. Louis, Missouri, but they’re planning a Las Vegas wedding, and have been reaching out to vendors across the country, including a wedding dress designer based in New York City.
When they emailed with D. Auxilly designer Dominque K. Galbraith to help them with the fashion aspect of their special day, the response was not what they expected.
After thanking them for reaching out, Galbraith went on to tell them that she “wouldn’t be able to make a piece for a same-sex wedding.”
“It goes against my faith in Christ,” she explained. “I believe Jesus died for our sins so that we would live for him according to His Holy word. I know you both love each other and that this feels right but I encourage you both to reconsider and see what the Lord has to say and the wonderful things He has in store for you both if you trust and obey Him.”
The women were flabbergasted by the unsolicited “advice”-slash-shaming, which ended with Galbraith offering to talk to them further about Jesus — you know, the guy she says wouldn’t want them to get married or be happy.
“A person who truly has that heart will tell you that God doesn’t make any mistakes,” Allen said. “I’m not a mistake.”
Too often, a story like this ends with a note that there are no LGBTQ anti-discrimination laws in place in the city or state of the couple who had to put up with such hateful homophobia spread under the guise of a loving correction into the path of religious righteousness. But while it’s true St. Louis doesn’t have discrimination protection for LGBTQ people in place, the fact that the designer is based in NYC may change things up.
“The dressmaker is violating New York State law that prohibits discrimination on basis of sexual orientation,” St. Louis University law professor Marcia McCormick told KVTI.
As such, Allen and Lane have decided to not only file a complaint against the company, but are considering taking out a lawsuit against them as well.
Lane told GayStarNews: “After this experience, we now realize more than ever how important it is to find someone who truly supports the LGBTQIA+ community in the wedding industry.”
