A North Carolina wedding venue has
turned away a gay male couple.
McCae Henderson and Ike Edwards got
engaged on Valentine's Day.
The couple was looking to marry at the
Highgrove Estate in Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina. But when they
applied online, their application was rejected.
Edwards told ABC affiliate WTVD that
the website's form did not include an option for same-sex couples.
“In the notes section I just said we
were a groom and groom,” he
said. “It's not like we can ignore that and then show up.”
In its rejection, the Christian-owned
venue said that it did not host same-sex weddings and provided a list
of alternative wedding venues.
Henderson called the rejection
“disheartening.”
"This is us. We are gay and we did
not choose to be gay," Henderson said. "The fact that we
don't have access to things other people do is discrimination in my
eyes. I think everyone has the right to believe what they want to
believe to an extent. I don't think you get to be racist because your
religion tells you to be racist. I don't think you get to be
homophobic because your religion tells you to be homophobic."
In a statement given to WTVD, Highgrove
said that it believes “in the sanctity of marriage as God says in
the Bible that marriage is between a man and a woman and we choose to
honor Him above what the world decides what marriage should be.”
It added that it does “not
discriminate against a people or group.”
At least one couple canceled its
contract over the incident and the venue reported a threat to the
police.