A sign of support and love for the LGBTQ+ community was shot down at a small bakery in Texas. Then, the community responded, proving that love always wins.
Heart-shaped cookies for Pride
June is Pride month, so a bakery in Lufkin, Texas thought of spreading love the way they know how — with tasty cookies, of course!
“More LOVE. Less hate,” a Facebook post from the bakery read. “Happy Pride to all our LGBTQ friends! All lovers of cookies and happiness are welcome here
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The bakery was dealt a crushing blow
But then, the bakery received an unexpected amount of blowback for showcasing the cookies. They lost followers on social media and a customer canceled an order of five dozen summer-themed cookies that the bakery had already finished decorating.
“My heart is heavy,” the baker wrote. “Honestly I never thought a post that literally said more love less hate would result in this kind of backlash to a very small business that is struggling to stay afloat and spread a little cheer through baked goods.”
Love shines through
But the community wouldn’t let their beloved bakery down. Customers started to show up in droves and bought out every single item in the store.
There was so much support that some customers simply paid money so the owners could either take it or donate it to the charity of their choice (they decided to donate to an animal rescue).
Some of those who donated weren’t even residents of Lufkin — one came all the way from Miami, Florida.
The owners said that the lesson for all is that despite the actions of a select, ignorant few, love — and cookies — will always win.
“We are so grateful for the many messages of love and acceptance we have received; they far out way the negative, hurtful and hateful,” the baker wrote on Facebook a few days later. “We want this to be a positive place. We will not accept hate or be bullied with lies. I know what is in my heart and I know what is in my sweet sister’s heart. We just want to make our cookies. We just want people to be happy in our shop surrounded by our cookies that are made with LOVE. We want people who receive our cookies to be happy. Thank you.”
Happy Pride!
As normal as it is for many of us, there are still those that don’t see that love between two men or two women or otherwise is the same love as that of a man and a woman, which is a shame. But that’s not what this story is really about. It’s about the power of love, the power of community, and the power of human kindness in uplifting others.
Happy Pride, everyone!
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