A Christian bakeshop owner in Texas has turned down the request of a gay couple for a wedding cake for their marriage. The baker said she refused to take the order because the event where it will be used goes against her religious beliefs.
According to the Longview News Journal, the incident happened sometime last week when couple Ben Valencia and Luis Marmolejo entered the Kern's Bakery, which is co-owned by Edie Delorme. The report indicated that the two were planning on ordering a cake from the establishment for their upcoming wedding in March.
However, upon learning about the purpose of the cake, baker Delorme turned them away, even though they were regular customers of the bakeshop.
"It just kind of makes you feel dehumanized," Valencia told the news site. "People shouldn't have to worry about going into a business, especially a public business that serves the public, and have to worry about being turned away for something, for who you are."
Delorme, on the other hand, maintained that she did not discriminate against Valencia and Marmolejo but only practiced what she believes in. According to her, the ceremony of marriage should be between a man and a woman.
The baker also noted that she and the shop's co-owner, husband David Delorme, have previously turned away customers whose cake requests also go against their religious beliefs such as alcohol-themed ones or those that are too risqué.
But, Delorme stressed that she and her husband would rather close down Kern's Bakery than cater to weddings for same-sex couples.
After the issue between the bakers and couple broke out on social media, another establishment, called Mama Tee's Cakes and Catering, contacted Valencia and his partner regarding their wedding cake.
"I don't care if you're pink, purple, polka-dotted, gay or straight, if you want me to make you a cake, I'm going to make you a cake," the shop's owner Tee Allen said according to Kilgore News Herald.
