Let it be known that professional gardener Stuart Dinenno, owner of Botanica Atlanta Landscape Design in Atlanta, has absolutely zero interest in tending to the gardens of “delusional” gay married people.
It all started when Colton S. of Sandy Springs, Georgia recently posted a review on Yelp sharing his experience with Dinenno.
“Contacted today about a very large project in Sandy Springs,” he wrote. “The owner asked if the work was for me and my wife, I said no me and my husband and he replied that he wouldn’t be interested in working with us.”
Rude!
How about we take this to the next level?
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Amazingly, Dinenno responded to the review… by confirming it was true and then calling gay marriage “perverse and foolish” and suggesting Colton and his husband were totally delusional to think they were a married couple:
Yes, this is an accurate description of what happened. When doing a large landscaping project it is necessary to work with the homeowners closely over several months through the design and installation phases. I can’t do that, all the while going along with the delusion of two men calling themselves a married couple, with one man referring to the other man as his husband. It’s very perverse and foolish, and needs to be called out as such.
Other Yelp users were quick to side with Colton and his husband.
One person called Dinenno’s response “disgusting,” saying his services were “contingent on fleeting, bigoted beliefs.” Another added that it “must be nice to be so righteous that you can afford to refuse business.”
The page is now on “Active Cleanup Alert” after being inundated with one-star reviews.
The state of Georgia doesn’t have any laws to protect LGBTQ people from the sort of discrimination demonstrated by Dinennon. In fact, it’s been rolling back equal rights for gay people lately.
Earlier this year, the Georgia Senate passed a bill allowing adoption and foster agencies the legal right to discriminate against LGBTQ people and same-sex couples.
And last year, Republican State Rep. Betty Price suggested HIV-positive people should be quarantined as a way of stopping the virus from spreading.
Related: The special election in Georgia shows that the culture wars–and homophobia–aren’t over yet
Sam6969
This guy’s s attitude is very perverse and foolish and needs to be called out as such. Following such a rationale, professional LGBTQ and friends in his area should prevent him from having business with them. We would give him a bit of his own medicine. Then, after a few cases implying straight people and local responses (in both directions), the apartheid-like system would look like a disgrace for the country and the whole world to see; and finally there might be a new anti-discrimination law in this state.
PinkoOfTheGange
i think a landscaper isn’t a public accommodation, so I am not sure even if there was federal protections what could be done in the courts.
DCguy
It’s a public business with a public license.
ericm
Google the legal definition of public accommodation before saying this.
bicapuno87
fsdsfd
like Timothy answered I am amazed that someone able to make $7869 in four weeks on the
computer . find out here…
MacAdvisor
Pinko, any business that provides general service to the public is a public accommodation. Botanica Atlanta Landscape Design would absolutely be covered by a public accommodation law. If all the company was to do was to design the garden, but not do the work of installation, that might be an artistic endeavor and be exempt, but the vast majority of the work here is working with the homeowner to repair and tend the garden, not artistic.
SnakeyJ
Bottom line is that any small business owner can refuse to offer service to anyone. It’s not a right for gay people. If this guys said no, go on to a new landscaper who’s happy to help. This needs to stop being “news.” I’d like to see what a gay baker would do if someone ordered a cake for a Trump party. Yes, you can turn down the job. Get over yourself. You’re not entitled to anything.
Vince
So they’re not allowed to express their opinion on his service?
gaym50ish
Snakey, your analogy is bogus. Small businesses are licensed by the state and must obey all state laws. If the law in your state protects gay people, you do NOT have the right to turn them away any more than you have the right to disobey a tax law, labor law, health and safety regulation or environment law that your state enforces.
Donald Trump is a white, heterosexual male who is not covered by a nondiscrimination statute anywhere, including his home state of New York. Gay people, on the other hand, are a protected class under anti-discrimination laws in 21 states (not Georgia, unfortunately). You would have every right to turn away any job for a Trump party.
This landscaper also has the right to turn away a gay married couple in Georgia, but that doesn’t protect him from the negative reviews and condemnations he’ll receive.
DarkZephyr
@SnakeyJ
We’re allowed to express our opinions on bigotry. So stow it. I if you aren’t LGBT why are you here? If you ARE LGBT why are you a traitor?
@gaym50ish
Trump is protected as a white man, straight man and as a Christian because race, sex and religion are all Federally protected classes. Its still legal to discriminate against people based on sexual orientation in many states, sadly.
Juanjo
In Georgia, a small business owner can refuse to do business with a gay person. That is not true in all states based upon one’s status as a gay person. Your reference to a baker baking a cake for a Trump party is a classic false equivalency.
gaym50ish
If this man’s landscaping business is actually in Atlanta and not in some suburb, he may not be out of the woods yet. Although the state doesn’t have protection from discrimination for gays, the city of Atlanta does.
DCguy
You’re a liar. Businesses must abide by the laws of the jurisdiction, including Federal and we have laws against discrimination against groups.
A private business can say “We don’t like this one person because he or she was nasty to our employees, or she was insulting” But a business does not have the right to say “We don’t serve any Asians”.
No surprise that one of the ANTI-LGBT screenames that always defends bigots would be on here defending this guy with lies.
radiooutmike
It should not stop being news. Otherwise, if no one hears about it, people will think it’s a non-issue or settled already. That is dangerous.
We need those accommodations for when something more ‘serious’ happens.
Small business owners can refuse service to anyone, but they can’t use a protected class for reasons of denial. So, if these idiots don’t want to serve us; they should just say– “I’m sorry, we can’t do this job at the present time.” We don’t have those protections.
Vince
Countdown to his GoFundMe account.
Kangol
Just a note to Georgia residents: you have a choice this November to vote either for a Trump-supporting, right-wing anti-gay Republican, Jason Kemp, who also has a dicey history in terms of protecting the state’s voting system from hacking, or Stacey Abrams, who strongly supports LGBTQ equality, and would work with a Democratic legislature, if elected, to pass laws that would ensure equality across the board in Georgia. The choice is as clear as smogless summer day.
Brian
Great post. Stacey Abrams isn’t even running as a “LGBTQ equality” candidate. She’s just running as a regular person. It’s so sad to see how her normalcy is now considered extreme. I really hope she wins because she’ll work for the whole state.
Lacuevaman
some folks can hardly deal with one sissy over-indulged queen…let alone two!. Look in the mirror boys, would YOU work for you? Prob not. Stop trying to exceptional.
dwes09
I would definitely work for me, and pretty much all the progressive gay folk I know (and worked for a lot of fiscal conservatives, both gay and straight).
You, however, seem rather disordered and lacking in intellectual capacity. I used to steer clear of that type when i had my landscaping and garden maintenance business. Too capricious, ignorant and not to be trusted.
You seem to think we are all “sissy over-indulged queens”, likely from YOU looking in the mirror too much.
Rock-N-RollHS
Oh girl, does your mommy know you go on gay websites in your attempt to deny your strong strong urges for daddy. Next you’ll be wearing dresses and locking up girls in your dungeon.
DCguy
Notice how these accounts that support Trump ALWAYS attack the LGBT victims of assault or bigotry?
These are chaos trolls, they are only on this site to promote anti-LGBT defenses for bigots and support for Trump.
GayEGO
Oh stop it Mary Doogan! You are such a dishy queen!
WillParkinson
I’d work for us. We’re lovely people.
Lacuevaman
folks like DCGurl will never ever understand that queers are not a homogeneous group….even tho that sounds kinda HOT….don’t you think?? Anywho. she equates our push against sissy, arrogant closed-minded queens to be somehow being connected to favor and supporting Donald Dump. Not true! Open your mind and close your pie hole. God’s queer garden has lots of beauty… despite weeds like you! Kisses all-round.
DCguy
Awwww, how adorable…..I called out Lacuevaman and the troll got upset that it’s continual anti-LGBT bigotry was exposed. So how did it respond…….by using anti-LGBT wording against me. Wow, these trolls aren’t even TRYING to hide anymore are they.
Sweetie, I knew Russia was broke, but figured they could afford better than you.
Lacuevaman
….trying to be exceptional
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
GO THE FCUK AWAY YOU VILE, NOXIOUS, ABHORRENT TROLL…
Lacuevaman
i’m sorry…what did you say? i love that you are so secure with your positions you fain toward the demure.
Rock-N-RollHS
“fain toward the demure!” LMAOFROTF. Now that’s one tough comment, gurl
Brian
Why should deli counters serve black people? Banning people is the American way!
Rock-N-RollHS
bottom line is: this the political environment we live in now. Don’t like it, VOTE, biatches. Too many of you sit it out, or vote for un-winable candidates. Reality check, now.
rbernard?
This is unacceptable and until the state protects the LGBTQ there are some things we can do to deter more action like this bigot.
The LGBTQ and their many supporters in Georgia should start a campaign to boycott this bigoted gardener’s business.
QueerTruth
A landscaper that can’t work with gay people? I’ve never heard of such a thing…
What I wonder is – does giving these bigots a platform help their cause or help ours?
GayEGO
Oh my! And he calls him self a professional landscaper? Naw, homophobic guys are mentally deficient and cannot be called professionals as their thinking is perverse!
TomG
Have these homophobes ever thought that some people think that being masrried to a woman (some think being married to anyone) is perverse ? With guys like him around it’s a wonder why women marry them in the first place. He looks like the stereotypical spouse abuser.
Vera Delmar
I’m sure there are other landscapers who would jump at the chance to landscape this fabulous couple’s backyard. I hope they find onewho’s professional and willing to work with them. Please, post photos of their project.
Terrycloth
The yellow pages should have a heading at the top of the page. Gay friendly services..everything from A to Z. Listed……would be nice
Esscourt
This guy should make like a tree and leave!
Kevan1
Well FU_K HIM. He does not need my gay dollars and can go to hell.
GayVeteranUSAF
Who cares? He looks like an asshole anyways.