A videographer in Colorado has come under fire for refusing to work at a lesbian couple’s wedding.
Anna Suhyda and Amanda Broadway have been together for four years and are currently planning their wedding.
To help prepare, they created an account on The Knot, a platform that connects people planning weddings with vendors.
Suhyda contacted MediaMansion in Denver last week to book them to record her wedding. The company had a high rating and was even given the title “Best of Weddings 2019” on The Knot.
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But MediaMansion put a damper on their wedding planning.
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Suhyda said that she talked to a representative on the phone and he asked for her fiancee’s name. She said, “Amanda.”
“I could tell he kind of paused on the phone, but I thought he was maybe jotting down notes,” said Suhyda.
“Then I got to work and looked at my email.”
Adam Snyder from MediaMansion had sent her an email that said, “Unfortunately, at this time, we are not serving the LGBTQ community!”
“With an exclamation point,” she said. “Kind of like a punch in the gut.”
Over the weekend, MediaMansion posted a statement to Facebook that said that Snyder “did not communicate correctly our stance on the LGBTQ community.”
The company said that they don’t film “gay ceremonies,” but that they’re otherwise willing to take LGBTQ people’s money.
“MediaMansion is happy to work with people in the LGBTQ community!” the statement said.
“We simply do not film gay ceremonies or engagements. This decision is based on personal religious beliefs. We do not ask that you agree with our beliefs but only ask that you respect our beliefs.”
To all affected by the Email written by Adam Snyder regarding the LGBTQ community. Please Read:
Posted by MediaMansion on Saturday, February 23, 2019
MediaMansion’s rating on The Knot has dropped, which owner Benjamin Hostetter called “sad.”
“It really like just kind of exploded, and everyone just kind of assumed that we hate gay people, which is sad,” he told The Denver Channel.
Hostetter said that he can’t be homophobic because he has friends who are gay and that he would be “totally cool” with making a video for them.
“But specifically doing a project that would be against my beliefs in anything regardless of what the specifics of it is not something I want to engage in.”
He also said that LGBTQ people can’t create healthy families.
“I believe [marriage] has to do with family and producing healthy families,” said Hostetter. “I don’t think there’s a lot of good evidence out there that two men or two women can come together and have a really amazing effective family that is good and is everlasting.”
Related: Study shows lesbian moms raise children just as healthy as mixed-gender parents
Even though he appeared to make his decision based on the false claim that there isn’t evidence that LGBTQ people make good parents, he ultimately said that it was about his Christianity.
Suhyda and Broadway said that they’re determined to plan a good wedding, even after facing discrimination.
“Unfortunately, this came along, and I’m trying not to let it affect our mood or memories going forward,” said Suhyda.
“But if we can get something positive going forward or maybe some change, then maybe it was worth it.”
