Skip to content
Search AI Powered
Human content, AI powered search.

Latest Stories

Photographer Says She Should Be Able To Refuse Gay Weddings Since She Also Refuses 'Vampire-Themed' Weddings

Photographer Says She Should Be Able To Refuse Gay Weddings Since She Also Refuses 'Vampire-Themed' Weddings
Erstudiostok/Getty Images
Sam Spadafore
By Sam SpadaforeApr 15, 2021
Sam Spadafore
Sam Spadafore (he/they) is a writer, poet, theatre artist, sex educator and activist. Beyond The Social Edge, his writing centers around mental health, trans and queer issues, sex and sexuality. When Sam isn't dismantling gender norms and the patriarchy, you can find them roaming the beaches of Maine with their dog or cooking a delicious meal.
See Full Bio

Photographer and self-professed Christian Emilee Carpenter is suing the state of New York for not letting her discriminate against LGBTQ+ clients, claiming it is discriminating against her religion.

Carpenter believes marriage should only be between a cisgender man and a cisgender woman. By having an anti-discrimination law protecting LGBTQ+ people from being turned away from public businesses based solely on their identity, she feels she is the victim of persecution.

Even though no same-sex couples have ever asked her to photograph their weddings, she is still suing the state of New York for what she admitted was a non-issue.

Carpenter's federal lawsuit states:

"Emilee believes that God creates, calls, and equips some people to magnify God's goodness by creating aesthetically pleasing art that reflects God's beauty, artistry, and truth."

Based on this statement, Carpenter seems like an open and accepting individual.

However, that is not so.

Carpenter backs up her case by citing the statement she makes on her website, comparing LGBTQ+ weddings to 'Halloween or Vampire-themed' weddings.

"Emilee would not provide wedding photography for certain types of irreverent themed weddings—such as Halloween or Vampire-themed weddings—because Emilee believes that all wedding ceremonies are inherently religious and solemn events,"

Carpenter received help from the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), an organization deemed by the Southern Poverty Law Center as a hate group.

In the past, ADF claimed there was a link between homosexuality and pedophilia.

This sounds eerily similar to a case ADF represented in Louisville, Kentucky back in 2019 that won, granting the photographer the right to refuse to serve LGBTQ+ couples. In this other case, no same-sex couples had ever asked the photographer for her services, just like Carpenter.

This Twitter user responded to ADF's tweet:


Some people joked about the comparison between 'Halloween themed' weddings and LGBTQ+ weddings.

Some just had a lot of thoughts about Emilee Carpenter herself.



Carpenter's lawsuit states she treats everyone with "love, honesty, fairness, and excellence," but apparently that does not apply to LGBTQ+ couples getting married.

Latest News

Photo of an elderly couple's hands touching.
Trending

Things That Seem Innocent That Are Actually Pretty Intimate

More from Trending

Screenshot of Chip Roy; Donald Trump
PBS News; Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

Conservative Rep. Who Trump Threatened To Primary Calls Out GOP Over Spending Bill In Fiery Speech

After President-elect Donald Trump called for a primary against Texas Republican Representative Chip Roy for opposing lifting the debt ceiling for two years as part of a spending package, Roy took to the House floor to rip his GOP colleagues for being fiscally irresponsible.

The debt ceiling is a statutory cap on the amount the federal government can borrow. It has historically been a contentious issue in Congress, which has repeatedly raised or suspended it to prevent a default on the national debt. Critics argue, however, that removing the limit entirely could undermine the country’s long-term economic stability.

Keep ReadingShow less
Man holding his hand to his forehead, appearing overwhelmed
Photo by Sander Sammy on Unsplash

People Explain What They Hate Most About Their Life Right Now

Whether we believe in affirmations and high-vibrational energies or not, there's something to be said about how thinking positively can improve our mood and certain aspects of our lives.

But try as we might, there's usually at least one negative thing going on that we just can't put a positive spin on.

Keep ReadingShow less
Donald Trump and Elon Musk
Brandon Bell/Getty Images

People Keep Posting AI Images Of Trump Being Subservient To Elon Musk After Funding Debacle—And They Are Perfect

After billionaire ally Elon Musk helped tank a bipartisan deal to fund the government, people have mocked President-elect Donald Trump by posting AI images portraying Musk as Trump's boss.

This week, Musk played a key role in leading a revolt against a bipartisan funding bill, directly challenging House Speaker Mike Johnson and other Republican leaders who helped craft the legislation with Democrats. The revolt plunged budget negotiations into disarray, increasing the likelihood of a government shutdown this weekend.

Keep ReadingShow less
Elon Musk
Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

Elon Musk Told X Users To 'Stop Using Hashtags'—And Got Instantly Blasted With Hashtags

Elon Musk has made lots of changes to what used to be known as Twitter since he bought it—including the app's name itself.

But the newest change he's trying to make isn't going over well. Musk wants hashtags to be a thing of the past.

Keep ReadingShow less
MTG; Elon Musk
Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images, Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

MTG Is Pushing For Elon Musk To Be Speaker Of The House—And Yes, It Could Happen

Far-right MAGA Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene is all in for billionaire tech leader Elon Musk to become Speaker of the House, which is not out of the realm of possibility.

Even though every House Speaker has been a member of the U.S. House thus far, the U.S. Constitution does not explicitly have a provision in place stating they must be an incumbent House member.

Keep ReadingShow less