Aaaah, weddings, a very expensive excuse to get all your friends (and their plus ones, who you have never met but must now fork out cash for) and family together to celebrate the blessed union of two souls.

All fine and dandy at the popular Johannesburg wedding venue Oakfield Farm, unless those two souls happen to both be male.

Oakfield Farm is now being investigated by the Commission for Gender Equality for sexual discrimination after two men, Sean Hydes and Shawn Swiegers, were denied use of the venue based on their sexual orientation.

City Press carries the following:

…the couple went to visit the venue which, over the phone, seemed happy to have them until they arrived in person.

When the woman who runs these bookings realised that she was dealing with a same-sex couple she seemed “flustered” and informed them that “she doesn’t do gay weddings”.

Charming. The couple then spoke to the owner Matthew Stubbs, who said despite the fact that he didn’t “mind gay people” he couldn’t host the wedding at his venue due to religious beliefs. Now we’re not dealing with ISIS bad here but, in this day and age, we can’t let owners get away with this kind of bigotry.

Worse yet, this isn’t the first time the venue has come under fire. Again from City Press:

In April last year, the Commission for Gender Equality notified Oakfield Farm that it was investigating a complaint against it of unfair discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

Hopefully the couple can find a simply fabulous venue for their wedding. Good luck gents, we’re right behind you.

[source:citypress]