A lesbian makeup artist was dropped by a bride who refused to hire her after looking through Facebook posts and learning she was gay.
Kristian Cardenas, from Lubbock, Texas, is a self-taught freelance makeup artist offering hair and makeup services for events.
On Wednesday (June 12) she was contacted by a bride enquiring about makeup for her wedding. After explaining her costs, Cardenas agreed.
But the woman then asked if Cardenas could “answer a few questions,” which it turned out did not relate to hair or makeup at all.
“Are you gay?” the woman asked, to which Cardenas simply replied, “Yes ma’am I am. I’m sorry, but what does that have to do with your wedding or my services?” The bride-to-be goes on to explain: “I don’t want a gay person doing my wedding.”
Cardenas managed to keep her cool and instead of hitting back responded politely: “Okay that’s totally fine, you have a nice day!”
Messages between makeup artist Kristian Cardenas and a potential client (Twitter/@Kristiantayyy)
But this wasn’t enough for the bride, who persisted with more questions, including “How can you be latina and gay? You do know being gay is a sin correct.”
She added: “I’m sorry that you’ve chosen a path that’s going to send you straight to hell. I think you do beautiful makeup but I just can’t have someone’s who’s gay being apart [sic] of my special day. The wedding is in a church and I don’t want you walking into my church.”
Incredibly, she ends her message with a request that Cardenas let her know if she changes her mind about being gay, so that she can book her for the wedding.
Messages between makeup artist Kristian Cardenas and a potential client (Twitter/@Kristiantayyy)
The shocking exchange has gone viral after Cardenas shared screenshots of the messages online, earning over 290,000 likes and 66,000 retweets on Twitter.
Cardenas tweeted: “Openly sharing who I am with the world is my choice; a choice I will never apologise for. I love what I do and who I am. Today I was taken back a little bit. Homophobia is a real issue still in 2019. Please just be kind to everyone you meet.”
<p dir=«ltr» lang=«en» xml:lang=«en»>openly sharing who i am with the world is my choice; a choice i will never apologize for. i love what i do and who i am. today i was taken back a little bit. homophobia is a real issue still in 2019. please just be kind to everyone you meet. pic.twitter.com/mTGbcKl55T
— kristian (@Kristiantayyy) June 12, 2019
Messages of support came flooding in from all over the world as Twitter users expressed their shock at the “bridezilla.”
User @NalgAddy wrote: “WTF is wrong with that person?!?!?!? I can’t believe that just happened. But to be honest I’m not surprise! Keep the hard work and no matter what stay visible! Happy pride Guuuurl!”
While @Miss_Merc noted: “Gotta love the “holier than thou” ones who do so much judging. If they truly lived their lives by the word of the bible, there would be a whole lot less judging. You’re makeup looks are gorgeous!!! I hope one day to do my makeup even half as beautiful!”
Many people raised issue with the woman using her Christian faith as justification, with several fellow Christians condemning her behaviour.
“As a Christian it makes me so sick that there are others a part of my religion like this. Love is not a choice. God created everyone in perfect image and loves all of his creations. Everyone deserves to love and be loved by who ever they prefer,” said @HopePaladini.
And @RachelSlathar wrote: “this hurt my heart. proud of you for how well you handled that love!!! my God loves you beyond belief.”
Fortunately it looks like the exchange may lead to further work for Cardenas, after @edmajorphoto tweeted: “As a recently baptized Catholic (raised Catholic my whole life just never had the education), I want to fly you to Pittsburgh next year and have you do all the hair and makeup for me and my fiancée’s wedding!”
Some people cast doubt on whether the bride’s request for Cardenas’ services was genuine, particularly after one user shared a strikingly similar exchange, suggesting that the bride may have been a troll all along.
<p dir=«ltr» lang=«en» xml:lang=«en»>This exact thing just happened to me. Is it a troll? pic.twitter.com/o4BV7XRTcM
— ❤️
