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By Brooke Sopelsa
Bailey and Samantha Brazzel were married last July and the Indiana couple planned to jointly file their taxes for the first time last week. But their visit to the tax preparer did not take place as planned.
"We thought it was only a boring trip to the tax office, but it turned into a lot more than that," Samantha Brazzel told NBC's affiliate, WTHR.
Tax preparer Bailey Brazzel had used the last four years to refuse to work with the two women for religious reasons.
"We went there and we sat down as usual and then she said," How are you going to grade this year? "And I said" married spouse ", and that's when the situation deteriorated," Bailey Brazzel said.
Nancy Fivecoate, owner of Carter Tax Service in Russiaville, Indiana, told WTHR that the problem was not that Brazzels "are gay, it's married."
"I've been preparing taxes for several years," Fivecoate said of Bailey Brazzel in a statement shared with WTHR. "This year, she came in with her wife and I refused to prepare taxes because of my religious beliefs. I am a Christian and I believe that marriage is a man and a woman. I was very respectful with them. I told them where I thought she might be able to get her taxes prepared. "
Fivecoate then accused the Brazzels of "trying to destroy" his company. She added that she had received calls and harassing emails since the couple had publicly told her story.
The Brazzels said they speak out to draw attention to LGBTQ's lack of protection in Indiana. Although several cities in the state have passed orders protecting residents against discrimination based on their sexual orientation, there is no law in the whole country prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation or identity. of gender.
"I do not need anyone to accept my lifestyle or what I do," Bailey Brazzel said. "But if you run a business, you should be able to work with all types of people."
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