A rainbow-filtered profile picture recently led to a Facebook showdown between a local business owner and a Tea Party activist. We’ll let you guess who the nasty party was.
Despina Kozidis, better known in La Crosse, WI as Gracie of Gracie’s Gyros and Wraps, knows mixing business and politics isn’t always the best idea for attracting customers.
But Gracie, like countless other straight allies since June, had switched her profile picture to a rainbow filter to show her support for equality. Not exactly the most controversial move.
Related: Republican Lawmaker Fakes His Own Gay Sex Scandal To Hide Real Sex Scandal, Fails
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On a La Crosse foodie page, Gracie noticed a woman asking for food recommendations and took the opportunity to plug her business.
The next day, Gracie called her daughter Sophia in tears.
A fellow member of the foodie page, Greg Luce, sent Gracie this message:
“Hi Despina. I saw your post on La Crosse Foodie. I love gyros, but I detest people with rainbow filters on their picture. It’s an abomination that we are being forced to condone deviant sexual behavior. I will NOT be visiting your restaurant, I’m sorry.”
She was floored by the negativity.
“The culture that she’s grown up in is sometimes not very accepting,” Sophia explained to the LaCrosse Tribune, “but in coming to the U.S., being a single mother, having a business, she’s learning every day how to be a part of the community, how to be accepting.”
They thought long and hard about what to do next, if anything. Ultimately, Gracie wrote back to Luce, saying:
“That’s great! We prefer to have accepting, coexisting consumers. It seems we have come to an agreement that it is best for both parties that you do not visit my business. Thank you.”
Afterwards, Gracie was worried her response was too confrontational, but Sophia was confident it was the right move.
So confident, in fact, that she posted a screen-cap of the exchange (removing Luce’s name) to the same foodie page.
Luce commented on the post, calling it “inappropriate,” and it was deleted, but not before it received traction.
Related: Five Disgraced Business Owners Who Learned That Homophobia Just Doesn’t Sell
Messages of support came flooding in to Gracie’s page, and the LGBT Resource Center of the Seven Rivers Region reposted the message with a thank-you of its own.
The next day the restaurant was packed with guests sharing their gratitude, and a Facebook event called “Showing Support For Gracie’s” was created by the community to bring even more business her way.
“I lost one person, but I gained hundreds. I was crying actually,” Gracie said.
aliengod
Pretty awesome story. Go Gracie!
Glücklich
@aliengod:
Thumbs up!
Tony Chaplinski
good for her
Melinda Kaye
Good — hate = negative consequences.
Brian Crim
#EPICWIN!!!! #KUDOS TO YOU GRACIE
Robin Mckennon
Love it!
Sand Nierenberg
Good for her
mcflyer54
Wonderful response. I hope that the gains hundreds of new customers and that they remain supportive of her business.
BigG
Good for gracie. Screw that hateful bigot
M J Martinez Crogan
Congrats
Alan David
Great Job
Danny Dussia
â?¡â?¡
William Britton
HATE never equates!!! Continued successð???
Craig Shapiro
Yea Gracie, you ring for equality and love. Thank you!
Joseph Zikos
Good for you, Gracie and thankyou. I wish I could give you a big hug and kiss.
Bob LaBlah
At the rate of one sandwich per month (if that often) I doubt if her business would have really mattered.
Joshykel
Next time I drive down to LA I will definitely be supporting this business. This is great.
Joshykel
@Joshykel: Oops sorry just realized it’s in Wisconsin, perfect my brother lives there. Gives me an excuse to go and support.
Gaymikey1960
It don’t take a rocket scientist to figure out it is someone in the self-centered, self-loving, Hate-spreading “republican” (Notice i did not capitalize that swear word! LOL) party! To me and to others this hateful party and anyone who votes for this party are committing treason to the American People and our great country! We as normal ordinary American citizens are told to follow the law completely, but yet these ignorant asses can break the law anytime they want to! I applaud Gracie and her daughter because as for me those type of law breaking people who think we are trying to force them into something are dead wrong! and come this next election year they will find out just how wrong they are when they are not elected or re-elected! we all need to find our own best person to be president, senators, congressmen, and representatives who stand on the side of what is right and good, and will not break the law just because they think they can and are above the law! Gracie you keep going girl i am proud of you for standing up for what is right and good! may you make millions from the republicans stupidity! God bless you very much Gracie!
SpunkyBunks
Cool, she didn’t stoop down to their level with the kindergarten name calling. Her response was extremely professional and cool headed. Kill ’em with kindness Gracie.
Dakotahgeo
I was one of the original well wishers for Gracie and her business. I only hope Ary and I can visit her restaurant sometime in the near future! Pastor GMMelby!
Giancarlo85
Those hateful republican customers usually are cheap anyways and don’t are for the business anyways. I’m glad she kept her level head. She doesn’t need some hypocrite… there are plenty of other potential customers.
jwtraveler
Does the article really say that Gracie’s post was removed for being inappropriate, but the bigot’s original post wasn’t?
MickeyP.
This is one lady who didn’t use hate to get her point across. And…she certainly got her point across! Thank you,lovely lady,for knowing that we are ALL equal and we ALL deserve to be treated with respect.
GayEGO
Excellent response Gracie! You have our love and support. These hateful GOPs are losing and we do not want them in our civilized American communities.
adrianjurado310
oh so that diner door swengs…bof ways
cassiemarie88
@jwtraveler: The exchange between Gracie and the bigot were via messenger. The post that was flagged as inappropriate and removed was the screenshot of the messages posted by Gracie’s daughter.
kuma6963
Awesome! And didn’t have to go to some kick starter pity me fund!
Right on, love ya, Mama
tarutan
Reject hate, gain love. I am glad Gracie didn’t stay silent and so happy that people banded together to show her love. Awesome story.
ktyler55
@Gaymikey1960: Hey…. presume much GayMikey? Whether someone is republican or not doesn’t guarantee that they are homophobic… don’t paint everyone with the same broad paintbrush, k? I lean more conservative than not but in no way condone such homophobic behaviors as this guy quoted…. and believe it or not, know several others just like me who feel the same. You can’t stand for equality then turn around and label everyone based on one opinion or topic…..