"The governor's aides called not too long ago, wanting another appointment to come in," [Darden] said. "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 added: "I think it's just equality, dignity for everyone. I think everybody should be allowed the right to be together. My partner and I have been together for 15 years."

I think this is summed up by the first sentence:

"Revolution happens through accumulated moments of personal conviction, through small acts that coalesce into a movement, into a societal shift, into a new truth."

Well done, sir. Well done.

This story does better and stands on its own without the misuse of quotations.

You go, girl!

I love that the aides called back to make sure. Probably didn't have the guts to tell the governor the truth at first.

Good on you, Antonio! You have he right to refuse service and certainly have the right to refuse service to someone who tells the world that you are not a citizen, you don;t have the same rights as everyone else, and basically sends you a big-ol' FARK YOU for being who you are.

And as the sage advice from my grandmother goes: Never offend a stylist while his hands are in your hair.

I hope gay business owners all over decide to deny her service. I hope all hair stylists deny her service in solidarity. I hope her aides have to call all over farking town before they finally find someone who will cut her hair at a strip mall Great Clips.

Don't piss off the queens, biatch.

Speaking of New Mexico governors...Gary Johnson looks like he could use a haircut - plus he's already pro-human-rights, unlike the GOP field and President Fierce-Audacity-of-um-my-position's-evolving.

I bet you the same farktards that cheered that landscaping company for denying service to gay customers will biatch and complain about this hairstylist for denying service.

Might be an issue with public accomodations civil rights law.
Probably worth going to court over, though.

I posted this the other day in another same-sex marriage thread, but update below it that makes me even angrier:

"And for those of you who think definitions don't matter and this isn't an equal rights issue, let me put before you my current life.

I went out for a boat tour and on this tour, met someone with whom I sparked right away. We sent the rest of the afternoon and evening together. Later that same night we met again and walked the city for hours on end just talking and getting to know one another. Unfortunately, I had a flight out of there the next morning as I was just visiting, so around 4 AM I had to go my separate way. The person I met also was not from that place, so we both ended up quite some distance away. We kept in touch online, and after a few months we agreed to meet up again at another location. This time it was obvious that we had both fallen for each other. It was the best 10 days of my life. But, unfortunately, once again, we had to fly back to our homes and go about life. Back to keeping in touch online. We were fortunate enough to be able to about 6 months later meet again to spend about 11 days together. Then we had to wait another 6 months to spend another 10 days together. Now in 2 weeks I'm looking forward to flying off to spend another 14 days together. Now one would think, at this point, if we are so in love and obviously smitten with each other, one of us would just move to where the other lives and make a home with each other, right?

Well, the problem is, those different locations we are from are different countries. On top of that, we are of the same sex. On top of that, neither of us happens to be from one of the countries of the world that give same-sex couples equal marriage, and thus, immigration rights. I am from the United States - a country that does not give me the level of rights in this area I would have if I were from Canada, Argentina, South Africa, or any number of European countries. So, instead of being able to make a home together, we have to scrape together enough money to fly to other countries just to spend a small number of days together.

So yeah, don't tell me I don't tell me it's not an equal rights issue or that it should not feel oppressive to me."

Update: Now my partner is rather seriously ill and can't travel. That anticipated time together in 2 weeks is off. Waiting on medical test results. Now we can't see each other, and I have to be on the other side of the world rather than by his side through all of this. I'm really not happy with the people in my country who don't think I should have the right to be with my partner.

WorldCitizen: snip

As someone who was in an overseas relationship, I understand the frustration of not being able to be there and having only a few short weeks every half a year. I can't imagine the pain and frustration you must be going through being that these asinine policies prevent you from being able to cement your relationship though...mine was the "traditional" relationship and so (after I got past the "all men on the internet are axe murders portion) nobody batted an eye, at least from an official standpoint.

Rest assured that you and yours will triumph because the tide is turning in your favor. These continued attacks reek more and more of desperation, they are no longer messages of conviction, of certainty, they are attempts to draw a dwindling number of voters to polls and will ultimately be defeated. The day is now in sight when you can invite your partner to stay here...

Didn't anybody ever teach her that it's pretty much rule number one of beauty that you don't upset your hair stylist?

Good for Antonio, it's about time for people to start making stands like these. One or two people doing it is one thing and it's good for media purposes, but if enough people step up and make it clear that bigotry has a price, politicians will start thinking long and hard about what stances they take.

Sounds like the hairstylist just told Governor Martinez to curl up and dye... I wonder how long she's used his salon, it sounds like no matter what this split ends with permanent damage. On the other hand, he could always keep styling her hair, while whispering gay propaganda into her ear in order to conditioner and straightener out. But she won't listen to him because he eats da shampoo-poo.

Benevolent Misanthrope: Good on you, Antonio! You have he right to refuse service and certainly have the right to refuse service to someone who tells the world that you are not a citizen, you don;t have the same rights as everyone else, and basically sends you a big-ol' FARK YOU for being who you are.

And as the sage advice from my grandmother goes: Never offend a stylist while his hands are in your hair.

I hope gay business owners all over decide to deny her service. I hope all hair stylists deny her service in solidarity. I hope her aides have to call all over farking town before they finally find someone who will cut her hair at a strip mall Great Clips.

Don't piss off the queens, biatch.

*applause*

Perfect.

Good for him...

I know if someone was pontificating how "moral" it is to treat me like a second class citizen, it would be a cold day in hell before I'd have them as a client. That's the great thing about being self-employed or owning your own business.

The only objections to homosexual marriage are based on bigotry or religious dogma, and it's disgraceful that any elected leader would think it is acceptable to codify either into law.

Good on them. Free speech doesn't mean that you are free from consequences.

RandomExcess: The market place is supposed to be governed by business and not personal issues. It will be a story for a day, but with tough economic times ahead, business have even less a motive to get all huffy.

Why do you hate a businesses right to free speech? I thought that the job creators, like this, and their contributions to the public debate, were important pieces of the discussion. Or does that only apply to businesses that want to quash folks that you personally dislike?