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A Christian Decorator Refused to Paint a Gay Man's House
The man refused service due to "recommended guidelines" from his church.
A 23-year-old gay man in the UK, known only as Josh to protect his identity, expressed his shock and dismay after a painter refused to provide service to him based on his sexual orientation.
The incident occurred when the decorator visited Josh's flat in England to offer a quote for a paint job. The meeting took an unpleasant turn when, during the visit, the painter inquired if Josh's partner was present, to which Josh replied that he was at work. This moment felt like a red flag for Josh, who noticed that the decorator didn't take any pictures of the space he was supposed to service.
A few hours after leaving — and despite the UK's 2010 Equality Act explicitly forbidding discrimination based on gender identity or sexual orientation the decorator sent a text message stating that he couldn't proceed with the job due to his Christian beliefs and "recommended guidelines at my church."
Josh was appalled by the rejection, telling PinkNews, "My jaw dropped open. Neither of us thought we'd be in a situation where this would happen to us and, to be honest, it was disgusting, disappointing, and baffling."
While Josh and his partner do not plan to pursue legal action, they do intend to report the incident to the local trading standards body.
The painter's refusal to provide service comes on the heels of the recent US Supreme Court decision to grant a Christian wedding website designer the right to refuse service to LGBTQ+ couples, sparking further debates on LGBTQ+ rights and religious freedom. This ruling has led to several business owners denying services to queer customers, drawing widespread condemnation.
Josh and his partner hope that by reporting the decorator's behavior, they can prevent others from experiencing similar discrimination. While legal recourse is available in the United Kingdom through organizations like Citizens Advice, they wish to raise awareness and foster a more inclusive society where everyone can access goods and services without fear of discrimination based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.
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