When Dave Mullins, 28, and Charlie Craig, 31, visited the highly acclaimed Masterpiece Cakeshop in Denver, they certainly weren’t expecting a refusal to make their desired rainbow-layered cake with frosting to match their wedding colors—teal and red.
According to Westword, the couple, who are getting married Provincetown, Mass., in September and hosting a reception with loved ones in Denver afterwards, were turned away because they were gay.
Apparently, this isn’t the first time Jack Phillips, owner of the bakery, has denied a couple’s request because they were gay, but thanks to Mullins and Craig’s spotlight on their horrible experience, their bigotry has now become public.
“This is the first time I’ve ever been refused service at a business because I was gay,” Mullins said. “I want [Phillips] to know that what he did hurt us. All we wanted was a cake. We didn’t want him to put on a rainbow shirt and march in the gay pride parade. This is me standing up for my community’s rights.”
After posting his run-in on various websites, the social media attention has exploded and resulted in an online petition to boycott the bakery, as well as a Facebook-organized protest.
“It was the most awkward, surreal, very brief encounter,” Mullins says. “We got up to leave, and to be totally honest, I said, ‘F–k you and your homophobic cake shop.’ And I may or may not have flipped him off.”
Now other victims of Masterpiece’s refusal are coming out of the woodwork. After Mullins and Craig’s story broke, a reviewer on Yelp wrote:
“I feel I need to disclose to anyone with an ‘alternative’ lifestyle, that this company does not want your business, as they do not participate in making cakes for ‘illegal’ things, such as a commitment ceremony (exact quote),” user Samantha S. recounted. “All we wanted was a cake, and I totally respect the right to refuse service, (but) I feel obligated to help anyone else avoid what was an incredibly awkward situation by selecting this place for your services. That is simply it (right, wrong or indifferent). Nothing more, nothing less.”
Luckily, the story has a happy ending. The couple found a wonderful option at “the gayest cake shop we could think of,” Le Bakery Sensual. “They made us feel great, and no one batted an eye. When we told them what had happened, more than a few eyebrows went up,” says Mullins. And while they are celebrating happily ever after, Masterpiece Cake Shop will still be feeling the financial blow thanks to their ignorant actions.
Photo: blog.westword.com
