Earlier this week, Equally Wed reported that MediaMansion, a Colorado videography company, turned down a couple’s request for filming their wedding when it learned that it was a same-sex couple getting married.
Anna Suhyda, the marrier who received the email from the anti-LGBTQ+ company, told Denver’s Channel 7, that it was like “a punch in the gut” to get turned down just for who she loved.
Amidst the story breaking, much attention was focused on MediaMansion’s vendor profile on The Knot, which has publicly proclaimed that they would not do business with wedding businesses that discriminate against LGBTQ+ couples.
The videography company’s rating was high prior to their discrimination being made public but this week, comments and one-star ratings have been piling up on MediaMansion’s page on the Knot.
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MediaMansion’s owner Benjamin Hostetter spoke out against the swift backlash, defending its decision saying that he has nothing against working with LGBTQ+ people so long as it has nothing to do with weddings or engagements, which means that he actually has a lot against LGBTQ+ people.
Read his full comments and more of this story in our original reporting here.
On Monday, February 25, the Knot responded to my request for comment by saying, “We received several complaints this weekend about MediaMansion and are currently investigating directly with the couple and the vendor. On The Knot, we welcome all couples—no matter their race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, disability, marital, family, pregnancy status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, veteran or citizenship status and any other characteristics protected by law—and stand by our core belief of inclusivity. We do not permit discrimination of any kind, by, to, or against our consumers, vendors, guests, or employees, and reserve the right to take actions, up to and including removal from the site, in response to any discrimination.”
On Thursday, February 28, the Knot reached out to me to let Equally Wed know they’d finished its investigation and had this to say:
“The Knot has decided to end our contract with MediaMansion and remove its storefront from TheKnot.com based on the inclusivity and non-discrimination standards that have always been an important part of our culture, our brands and our marketplace. We make a personal commitment every day to provide the best possible wedding planning experience for all couples. By partnering with The Knot, vendors are agreeing to serve every couple to the best of their ability and on these terms without discrimination.”
True to its word, MediaMansion’s vendor page on the Knot now goes to a 404 page, and MediaMansion has removed its Knot badge on its homepage. But it still is proudly displaying a WeddingWire badge. WeddingWire recently merged with The Knot and also purportedly disagrees with discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community. The Knot reached out to us on Friday, March 1, to let us know WeddingWire has cut ties with MediaMansion too.
I just want to give the Knot a big hug and say thank you publicly. When big companies stand up in defense of marginalized communities like mine, I get emotional. We need help fighting discrimination because we are a minority, and it feels good to have our love and rights protected and validated.
So, yeah. Love wins.
