A Vermont resort boasting idyllic surroundings for weddings came under fire on Tuesday after it was accused of turning away a lesbian couple looking to host their reception at the country getaway, a lawsuit said.
According to the complaint, Wildflower Inn in Lyndonville, Vermont refused to host a wedding reception for New York couple Kate Baker and Ming Linsley because of the owners' personal bias against same-sex couples.
It was Linsley's mother who was told the inn does not host "gay receptions," particularly stinging to a mom trying to help her daughter plan the special day, the couple said.
According to the suit, at least two other couples have been turned away by the resort in the past 12 months.
The suit, filed by the American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Vermont, said state law on the books since 1992 prohibits denying access to public accommodations, like the inn, based on sexual orientation.
“The law is clear that any business that provides a service to the public can’t pick and choose who they want to serve based on the customer’s race, gender, sexual orientation, or gender identity” said Joshua Block, staff attorney for the ACLU Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender Project. “If we allow one group of people to be singled out and denied basic rights and service, we are violating the basic American values of justice and fairness for everyone.”
Baker and Linsley said they filed the complaint, in part, to prevent future discrimination and to raise awareness about the laws designed to protect people if it does.
“The discrimination from the Wildflower Inn cast a shadow on what should have been a purely joyous occasion,” said Linsley. “We didn’t want to stay quiet and allow this business to continue to discriminate against other couples.”
Their wedding, now slated for the fall at an undisclosed location, remains a happy occasion, despite the controversy.
"It didn't dampen our spirits about the wedding for long," Baker said.
Owners of the 24-room Wildflower Inn did not immediately return a call seeking comment.