Who knew there were so many homophobic florists?

A florist in Riverview, N.B., is refusing to provide wedding flowers to a same-sex couple, according to the event's planner. After agreeing to provide the flowers for a wedding, Kim Evans of Petals and Promises Wedding Flowers sent an email last month to the couple, saying she didn't know it was a same-sex wedding and would have no part of the ceremony. "I am choosing to decline your business. As a born-again Christian, I must respect my conscience before God and have no part in this matter," the email said.

It's illegal in New Brunswick to turn away customers "based on race, religion or sexual orientation," so we're not just talking about a homophobic florist, but a dim florist. As for this...

Mario Bourgeois Leduc, wedding planner for the couple, who didn't want their names released, said he was appalled by the florist's email, especially since "you're celebrating love and you're going against all of the odds to celebrate what is important in your life. This is going to stay with them for years, because they were again told that their lives are not OK."

Oh, please. Shrug the bigot off, faggots, and make a big show of taking your business elsewhere. This can't be the first you've about or from anti-gay bigots over the course of your lives. There are lots of people out there who don't think your lives are OK and you haven't let them stop you—or reduce you to tears—up to now, right? Don't give this stupid petal pusher so much power. How about you double your flower order and take it to—hey!—a gay florist who would welcome your business?

And as for folks who'll argue that this bigoted florist has a right to deny services to gay couples based on her religious beliefs, Johann Hari put it best (read "flower shop" where she writes "B&B"):

In order to justify their desire to discriminate against gay people, the few remaining homophobes have concocted a scenario where they are The Real Victims. They can say what they want, set up churches or mosques that preach what they want, and turn away gay people from their homes every day of the week if they so desire—and I would defend every one of those rights to the last ditch. There is only one thing they can’t do. They can’t choose to offer a service to the general public, and then turn people away on the basis of race or sexuality. They can’t put up de facto signs saying ‘No blacks, no Irish, no gays’ at their B&B.

This isn’t a form of prejudice—it is a way of preventing prejudice.... Yes, I know your religious texts mandate bigotry against gay people. They also mandate slavery and stoning adulterers, and they laud a God who feeds small children to bears (see II Kings ii, 23-24). As secular morality has evolved, you have managed to overcome those beliefs. Here’s another that has to catch up.

Thanks to Slog tipper Paul.