A local couple is choosing love in the face of discrimination. 
Melinda, who wanted her last name kept private, and her fiancé were recently refused service by a Tilbury decorating company because they are a same-sex couple.
The Chatham woman been corresponding back and forth with the business for about a week when the owner asked for a photo of the couple. That’s when things took a turn, and the business owner said she could no longer provide services “for personal reasons.”
“It wasn’t confirmed until she made a post on her business (Facebook) page that she wasn’t able to provide services to a couple because they were same-sex,” Melinda explains. “She felt she would be supporting them and because she’s a Christian she couldn’t do that.”
The couple has requested the name of the company be left out of our story.
Melinda says that while the entire situation has been very upsetting, they are choosing not to dwell on the pain.
“I would like to shine a light more on the awareness aspect, that discrimination still happens, and I think people need to be more kind and have an open heart,” Melinda says. “People are different and that’s ok. I don’t think anyone should be discriminated against based on anything, their sexual orientation, their race, their gender, their religion. I think we just need to be a more loving community.”
The couple has no plans to seek further action, saying only they want to spread a message of love and acceptance rather than negativity.