It's been a long-running joke (though seldom enforced) among LGBT folks, particularly gay men who work in the creative-service spaces: If you discriminate against the gay community, we will refuse to cater/plan/decorate your weddings, design and make your dresses, or make you look pretty for your next big event.
Now, it seems, one gay hair stylist hasn't just made that joke, he's lived up to his word.
Antonio Darden (left) styled Governor Susana Martinez of New Mexico (right) on three separate occasions. Martinez is a Republican who got Sarah Palin's endorsement in 2010, and though she may believe that the United States Constitution needs an amendment banning gay marriage, she still adores having second-class citizens cut and style her hair. So when the Governor's staff called to schedule a fourth visit to Antonio’s Hair Studio in Santa Fe, Darden declined.
“The governor's aides called not too long ago, wanting another appointment to come in," Darden told KOB News. "Because of her stances and her views on this I told her aides no. They called the next day, asking if I'd changed my mind about taking the governor in and I said no again."
Darden, who has been with his partner for 15 years, also said, "I think it's just equality, dignity for everyone. I think everybody should be allowed the right to be together.
Watch Darden’s interview with Albuquerque local news station KOB below.
To CapitalG...
Why ARE you such a HATER? You insist this man is a bigot when you, yourself, is preaching hate and bigotry. I believe in freedom and if Antonio Darden refuses to style the governor's hair, it's his right to refuse as a business owner. Let's say you own a restaurant, some rowdy teenagers come in harassing the waiters and customers, do you refuse service to them? You reserve that right to tell them to leave. I assume you are a right wing republican who goes to a church that preaches hypocracy and hate towards gays and you grew up in small town, USA. More than likely, you have a closeted friend or relative suffering your views and opinionsfor years, forced to swallow your hatred and bias, just because they love being around you despite your homophobia. Follow your Christian mantra, "What would Jesus do"?
Problem solved...
Give her a hair-do like Callista Gingrich- that would have been the best revenge. Good God...
haircut refused to governor
News Flash to Capitolg, that was such a stupid comment. Have you been hiding under a log? For your information, the fight is already on and we are not gonna go away, no matter how many people hate us, we are here to stay. SO GET USED TO IT!
To Rainbow Power
Could not have said it better myself!
Nobody said you had to go
Nobody said you had to go away - but just because you are a homosexual doesn't give you the right to be an uptight effeminate bigot.
If you don't like to read
If you don't like to read things within respect to LGBT rights, why are you trolling the LGBT websites? We have the obligation to stand up and fight.
What's with the heterophobia?
This stylist is a bigot. It doesn't matter what the customer's race, religion or sexual orientation is the shop needs to provide the service. This is no different than hanging a 'No Blacks' or 'No Homos' sign on your business and refusing service based on those traits.These hateful heterophobes need to learn a little tolerance. Newsflash to homosexuals - you aren't exactly the favorite group of a whole lot of people. I don't think you want to start this fight. It will go badly for you. Learn a little tolerance. Not everybody has to love homosexuals. Deal with it.
Reply to Capital G
I love how you're trying to repropriate the often violent and traumatic suffering of queer people all over the world by trying to make "heterophobia" a thing. For one, it isn't. Homophobia, unlike what you want to call heterophobia, isn't just something that individuals express. It is a socially constructed and reinforced concept that dehumanizes and devalues lgbtq individuals by the actions of others through hatred and/or fear. It's the result of the majority not understanding the minority. But even more than that, this woman was not refused service because she is straight. She was refused service because she espouses discriminatory, violent, and hurtful views of people with whom the business owner identifies. And, as someone in a position of authority, her holding of these views directly effects the quality of life of the business owner. For this reason, his act is one of civil disobedience by using resources that he has ownership of, that is, his business and also an act of defence and preservation because, although she may present no chance of physical harm, the emotional harm caused by not only her holding and expressing these views but in making legislation based on them is significant. You wouldn't think anything of it if a person who is of an ethnic minority refused service to someone they knew agreed with views held by the KKK. But for some reason, queer people should just be okay with people acting hateful to us without there being some consequence for them. We sure as hell shouldn't have to help them in their campaign against our rights.
What's with the homophobia?
Newsflash to CapitalG—bigots aren't exactly the favorite group of a whole lot of people. Just ask African Americans what they think of the KKK. The fight for equality is indeed a civil rights issue and history will not be kind to those who oppose it. The Southern Poverty Law Center has placed organizations which objects to gay rights on the same list of hate groups as the Ku Klux Klan, the Nation of Islam and the Aryan Nations. Organizations such as those and their followers will be viewed with the same universal disdain reserved for hate groups such as the Ku Klux Klan. Not everyone has to love bigots. Deal with it.
It was either anti-Hetero bigotry or anti-Latino bigotry
Is that the same KKK that was founded by a couple Democrats and that the Democrat Party openly supported while the Republicans risked the lives and safety of their own families standing up to this disgusting Democrat opression of the African American? Why yes, I believe it is.Never been a supporter of either the KKK or their founders the Democrats.As for bigotry - why are you excusing it when the bigot is a homosexual? Do you hate heterosexuals so much that you will excuse bigotry towards them? Susana Martinez or anyone else is entitled to their own beliefs. You have no right refusing people service just because you disagree with them on some issue or you don't like their race. Martinez is Latino so perhaps the real reason she refused service was her RACE.I will not excuse the bigotry epressed by this hair stylist regardless of her sexual orientation. That is not a factor to me. It is for you apparently. Whether she refused Martinez service because of some belief this hair stylist thinks Martinez holds or because of her race is immaterial. It is bigotry nonetheless and should be condemned.
Your comment is as stupid as
Your comment is as stupid as it is long. He refused service to an individual he believes discriminates against him. He didn't say he wouldn't service any politician. Just one who treats him as a second class citizen. Shop owners "reserve the right to refuse device to anyone."
...and what if his belief
...and what if his belief that Martinez holds this belief is wrong? Can I just run around accusing people of believing in something and then I am justified in refusing them service?This idiot lefty saw a right wing politician who wanted a haircut and he decided to get his 15 minutes of fame - even if it meant being a bigot. Why pretend something different happened?
Proud Santa Fean!
I'm so pleased to live in the same town as this man-now I know where to get a haircut!
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