Felipe Gutierrez counted himself as more than a fan of the Near Southside vintage retail store W Durable Goods. Until recently, he maintained a friendly relationship with co-owners Daniel and Stephanie Wright. When he saw them in public, Gutierrez said he would chat with them about family and life. The frequent customer, who is openly gay, never put much thought into the religious and political beliefs of the Wrights until recently.
Over the past few days, word has spread through private messages and social media about a recent Facebook post by Stephanie. The message she shared is from fundamentalist pastor Jason Stidham, who heads Jason Stidham Ministries in Fort Worth.
“Homosexuality is NOT like any other sin,” the message read. “No other sin claims to love so much yet manifests such hate toward anyone who dare stand against it. The sin seeks to divide and conquer. The only cure … Jesus.”
The baseless claim that millions of LGBTQ Americans manifest hate and seek to divide and conquer left Gutierrez feeling confused and betrayed. Many in the LGBTQ community, he said, have long supported W Durable Goods. Gutierrez said he privately messaged Daniel for his side of the story.
According to screenshots shared by Gutierrez, Daniel replied, “That’s fine [if people are upset] as long as everyone acts respectful. But if you choose to treat me differently that’s OK. I appreciate you. And it’s OK for people to disagree.”
W Durable Goods has not responded to a request for comment. If the Wrights reply, we will update this blog accordingly.
Yesterday, Gutierrez, who heads the Tarrant County Stonewall Democrats and volunteers with numerous LGBTQ groups, took to Facebook to openly respond to the Wrights. His post and ones like it have garnered hundreds of comments in support of the LGBTQ community.
“Stephanie Wright, owner of W Durable Goods, shared this post,” he wrote, showing a screenshot. “This time the homophobia hit home. You are homophobic and disrespectful to a community that has embraced your business and family. [The Wrights] falsely wrap their bigotry in religion and disrespect those of genuine faith.”
In response to Stephanie’s post, many locals have called for reselling W Durable Goods products to donate the proceeds to Equality Texas, a nonprofit that serves the Texas LGBTQ community.
The anti-LGBTQ post comes just days after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that, “An employer who fires an individual merely for being gay or transgender defies the Civil Rights Act of 1964.”
The ruling means that members of the LGBTQ community have indisputable protection from being fired simply for being openly gay or transgender.
“The Supreme Court is telling the country to move forward yet there are individuals who don’t believe in that,” Gutierrez told me. “I guess they forgot the part about loving thy neighbor.”
Being opposed to homosexuality is not bigotry. Being against homosexuality as a Christian means you just believe in God’s World. The bible says that God abhors homosexuality. It’s not natural and it is a sin! God made man and woman to be together and procreate! Our bodies and reproductive organs are designed by God to fit together. The bible says that God made man in His own image! Not only is homosexuality a sin, it’s a crime against Christian parents who are trying to raise their children with wholesome spiritual values!
The good news is that gays can go to heaven! All it takes is to repent and turn away from their wicked ways!
Homosexuals have no right to tell others that it’s ok for a man to stick his penis in another man’s anus!
Last time I checked. Sodomy is still illegal! It’s just not enforced. Lastly, I agree that no one should be discriminated against. We just need to pray for repentance from those who sin before it’s too late!
God Bless Everyone!
This article seems to be more like a gossip column than informative. I digress. The fact is, there was no issue until she reposted Jason Stidham’s post. The fact is that post is incorrect and obviously just meant to stir the gay pot. Its foolish of her to repost that, not because it will upset someone but because Jason’s post in inaccurate. Most sin is seeking to be normalized. Gluttony, pride, ABORTION. I mean believe what you want, do whatever you want Jason’s post is simply inaccurate, irresponsible of him to post, irresponsible of her to post, Felipe is butt hurt, this article offers no real insight other than to continue to stir up high school girl gossip. Shame on all of you involved. We’re neighbors, fellow patrons, supposed to be adults…let’s talk out our differences. Move to Dallas if you want to act like that. Anyways, hope you work it out maturely. Love you all Panther City.
Please do not move to Dallas if you are an uninformed, homophobic bigot. We don’t want you.
The racist posts on their twitter are just as disgusting. The owner tried to sneak on under a fake profile on Facebook to defend this until they were found out and their profile deleted. They spoke as though their prejudice against people for their sexual orientation or the color of their skin is simply “traditional views,” and their push to oppress them is “family values.” As though these are traits an oppressed person can take on and off like the moth bitten hats this hateful shop peddles.
Family values support diversity, and loving your neighbor is a traditional view. There is literally no room for this trash in Fort Worth.
Dear Stephanie Wright and Jason Stilwell,
Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God’s Law. I have learned a great deal from your courage. and will try to share that knowledge with as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I simply remind them that Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be an abomination…End of debate.
I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some other elements of God’s Laws and how to follow them.
1. Leviticus 25:44 states that I may possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can’t I own Canadians?
2. I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?
3. I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of Menstrual uncleanliness – Lev.15: 19-24. The problem is how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offense.
4. When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odor for the Lord – Lev.1:9. The problem is my neighbors. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?
5. I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself, or should I ask the police to do it?
6. A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an abomination, Lev. 11:10, it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don’t agree. Can you settle this? Are there ‘degrees’ of abomination?
7. Lev. 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle-room here?
8. Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev. 19:27. How should they die?
9. I know from Lev. 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?
10. My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev.19:19 by planting two different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town together to stone them? Lev.24:10-16. Couldn’t we just burn them to death at a private family affair, like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev. 20:14)
I know you have studied these things extensively and thus enjoy considerable expertise in such matters, so I’m confident you can help.
Thank you again for reminding us that God’s word is eternal and unchanging.
Sincerely,
Kelly Quinn
I understand what y’all are trying to say. For one, separation of church and state….. And for two, didn’t Jesus wash the feet of a prostitute?
They can have their own beliefs. It’s not the beliefs that the majority of us support and they can try to hind their homophobia behind God, but the Christian God is a loving God who accepts all. They will pay for the horrible sinful beliefs. The owners of W durable will have to answer to God for their hatred towards God’s other children. But we can punish them with our pocket books.
Kelly Quinn,
You are a goddess, and I hope that doesn’t mean that I have to stone you to death. Thanks for your awesome BAM!!
…well it does seem like that someone is hating on the Wrights and is seeking to divide and conquer the local community against the Wrights freedom of speech. I always wondered how people who quote: “…loving thy neighbor,” always use it to defend themselves when they in fact call other people names or make false accusations (such as accusing someone of being “homophobic” or that they “falsely wrap their bigotry in religion and disrespect those of genuine faith”). In some cases, those upset with the Wrights exercising of their freedom of speech & freedom of religion, make threats such as “we can punish them with our pocket books.” So who is the arbitrator of so called “genuine faith” and who has the inquisitorial power as well as the power to mete out “punishment,” “accusation,” & “outrage” towards others the inquisition may disagree with? Seems like a very bigoted comment towards Christians who may not think or act like the arbitrators of so called “genuine faith”. In terms of what Jesus told Mary Magdalen, after Jesus asked those who wanted to stoned her to death “he is without sin cast the first stone”, which caused the people to walk away, since no one is without sin. Jesus then turned to Mary and stated to her, “go and sin no more”. Everyone forgets the entire context of the “woman caught in adultery”. It wasn’t that Jesus was “cool with it” and people can simply act any old way they wish. Jesus does tell Mary to not sin anymore. “Then Jesus straightened up and asked her, ‘Woman, where are your accusers? Has no one condemned you?’ ‘No one, Lord,’ she answered. ‘Then neither do I condemn you,’ Jesus declared. ‘Now go and sin no more.’ ” Well what do you know….Jesus did have some kind of standard that was more than just “love, love, love”.