Two men from New York City have spoken out about how wedding service providers can still throw curveballs for same-sex couples planning to marry.
Daniel Sheehan and Matt Price, both 31, are planning their wedding in western North Carolina. It’s a mountainous region and the men are having to plan to ferry relatives around on the day, including the elderly and less mobile.
They want to hire some transportation to help their guests.
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“We were just trying to get our grandparents and guests from point A to point B,” Sheehan told People. “It shouldn’t have been the most complicated part of our planning process.”
They emailed a trolley rental company about prices. They received an email back asking if it was a same-sex wedding.
When they confirmed that it was, they received a response from a female employee saying: “Matt, is there anyway to express this kindly? We are a Christian company and we endeavor to follow the scriptures as best we understand them.”
The letter continued, “Since marriage is sacred, instituted by God, we do not offer wedding services to those outside of man and woman. Any other service we provide is open to all. We don’t wish you ill, we simply want to remain loyal to what we understand the scriptures teach. How can God be God, if we don’t allow him to be God?”
“The Gay community don’t know when to quit pushing”
Daniel and Matt decided not to respond. However, they thought it only right to leave a Google review warning other LGBTQ+ people of the business’ stance.
This prompted a second, angrier email from the woman at the company.
“Daniel, your reply is exactly what put the narcissistic liar Donald Trump in the White House. The Gay community don’t know when to quit pushing and eventually they pushed Christians to vote out of fear.”
It continued, “One thing I learned in my years as a political activist is that you never push your opposition into a corner because they will come out stronger than before. If you want to sue, you will just be making more martyrs for the cause of Trump and Big D Democracy will continue to melt under the Republican onslaught.”
Daniel and Matt say they were dumbfounded by the email.
“When we first received the response back, I was shocked,” Matt told People. “This is from a person and a company that operates maybe 10 miles away from where I grew up … and it never really crossed my mind as we were going through this planning process that this experience we’re having was even one that was really possible to have today.”
Both men say that despite SCOTUS ruling in favor of marriage equality, there are battles to be won.
Grandma Ginny finds out
The couple told some family members about the discrimination they faced. Soon enough, the news spread over the family grapevine and reached the ears of Daniel’s grandma, Ginny Parasiliti, 90.
Daniel said he was worried about how she, a first-generation Italian-American Catholic, might react. Daniel is particularly close to his grandma as she and her husband helped raise him when his mother fell ill with multiple sclerosis.
“It was exactly what she was afraid we would experience when I came out,” Daniel said. “I knew she’d be hurt to know what happened.”
Grandma Ginny was upset… but also enraged. She immediately sent Daniel a message.
“Hi guys, I am just beside myself with FURY!!!!! But, I’m not going to let these bigots ruin my excitement about your wedding,” her text read. “Christianity is loving each of us & the path we have chosen!!!! Love is who we choose as our partner, & the one who makes our lives complete!!!! Raise your heads up high, & be PROUD of who you are!!! Amazing humans!!!!! Love you guys with all my heart. ♥️”
She then sent a very grandma-ish follow-up text, saying, “I have a new recipe for you. Tuscan chicken. I’ll send it to you. 👍💕💕💕”
Daniel said the response was typical of his grandma, who has always passionately defended her gay grandson.
“She is a light of my life. She’s so outspoken in her support, becoming another grandparent for friends of mine, including many who had less-than-desirable coming out experiences.”
Daniel says he wanted to share his and Matt’s experiences to raise awareness about the challenges same-sex couples continue to face when marrying. He says LGBTQ+ rights are not just an issue for younger generations, but something everyone, irrespective of age, can stand up to defend.
“Inclusivity, acceptance, LGBTQ+ progress isn’t specific or unique to any younger generation. It’s every generation’s responsibility to move the needle, to be a part of this progress.”
Queerty has reached out to Daniel for further comment.
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KCP6030
They should have asked the business if they were also turning away divorcees!
Matt 5:32 “…anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.”
Jim
Why are so many christians not?
still_onthemark
“How can God be God, if we don’t allow him to be God?”
I didn’t realize it was as simple as that. From now on, I’m just not gonna let God be God, then he has to stop bothering me!
Man About Town
I’m glad they left a google review about the company, warning others about what they can expect. Of course the company’s rep sent them an angry, defensive response and connected it with Trump. (Talk about digging yourself in deeper)
I’m hoping it severely affects their business and they eventually have to shut it down!
GayEGO
We are who we are and we love who we love. My husband and I were together 42 years before we were able to get married in June 2004, Cambridge Massachusetts. Unfortunately, some religions expect their members to follow the human written bible rules and their members are brainwashed like the Trumpsters!
kybryane
Well, Daniel and Matt should have let Grandma answer that email from the bigot woman at the Trolley Company. I am sure she would have had some choice words to say! Grandma sounds wise and loving!!!
winemaker
Time for these guys to find another limo service and stop wasting time and emotion on this issue. Screw ’em, they lost a viable gig that paid money. Very likely this limo company has done business with many other non Christians and other ‘heathens’ and people who don’t share their religious views: Jews, Muslims, Buddhists and athiests as they are a company that serves the public. Arguing this point is a waste of time, move on. Why people want to do business with people that don’t want to do business with them for whatever reason astounds me. There are many businesses that welcome your patronage, don’t care with who you sleep because at the end of the day, the gelt pays the bills and salaries of the employees. BTW: the recipe for Tuscan chicken sounds great and I want it to add to my culinary collection. If anybody can procure the recipe publish it in any follow ups, please do this. .Surely I’m not the only one here who’d like to get this recipe, especialy from and Italian ‘nona, that’s Italian for grandmother, some of the best people in the world. I miss my gramma, salute a tutti!