Published on January 30th, 2012 | by Kim LaCapria
1“Don’t Say Gay” Bill Senator Refused Service at TN Restaurant For Being a Giant Honking Homophobe
Aw, Stacey Campfield, it doesn’t feel too good when your exclusionary policies come back and whack you in the face, does it?
Campfield, a Tennessee State Senator, sponsored a bill known as the “Don’t Say Gay” act, aimed at preventing the mention of homosexuality in classrooms. And while it can sometimes feel like there’s no recourse for this kind of subtle homophobia and bigotry, Campfield himself got to experience what it felt like to be discriminated against firsthand when a local restaurant refused him service for supporting such damaging legislation.
The Bistro at the Bijou in Knoxville knew Campfield and his stance on alienating gay people, and subsequently refused him service at their establishment. And rather than keep it quiet, the restaurant then proudly informed their Facebook fans- in a status that’s inarguably brave in the conservative South- that Campfield’s custom was no longer welcome in their establishment. The update simply read:
“I hope that Stacy Campfield now knows what if feels like to be unfairly discrimanted against.”
In his defense after the incident, Campfield reminded voters that he’s even nice to black people, so he’s obviously not a bigot:
“In my business I do rental properties and I’ve rented to homosexuals, mixed-race couples, black couples. And about every single group you can think of has been in my office.”
Do you think more businesses should take a stance on this type of issue, or is it a form of thought policing?
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