Bakery turns homophobic messages into ‘iconic’ cookie toppings for Pride: ‘Deviancy at its finest’
Rock City Cake Company is turning homophobic comments into profit for LGBTQ+ charities in an iconic way. (Facebook/Rock City Cake Company)
A West Virginia bakery has turned homophobic comments into Pride-inspired cookie toppings which will benefit LGBTQ+ charities.
On Tuesday (4 June), Charleston-based Rock City Cake Company took to Facebook to announce the launch of its “sick freak cookie box” – inspired by a comment left on a Pride-related post.
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that,” the bakery captioned the post, quoting civil rights hero Martin Luther King Jr.
The box, which can be pre-ordered for $30 (£23.50), contains 12 cookies that feature real-life hate and homophobic comments posted on social media by the Charleston community in response to Pride-themed posts.
Comments featured on the cookies include “sick freaks, will never buy anything from your store,” and “this is a disgrace to the state of West Virginia. It’s sad when the state lets this happen”.
Another cooking topping reads: “This is what your donations help support. This is not right. A non-profit taking part in such a shameful event. I wouldn’t give them a dime.”
The cookie business’ post adds: “We, as a company, along with many others, have received hateful messages/comments, and well… in rock city fashion, we decided to showcase them on a cookie for a good cause.”
The company will donate a portion of proceeds from the boxes to LGBTQ+ not-for-profit organisations.
While names of the riled-up commenters have been left out out, the cookies do feature real-life profiles.
One person described the decision to feature the photos as “iconic”, while another said: “So glad you left their profile pictures up”.
Others said they would be buying a box.
In May, the FBI and Homeland Security released a public alert, warning that foreign terrorists organisations and their supporters could seek to “exploit increased gatherings associated with the upcoming June Pride month”.
Last year, an FBI report revealed a rise in anti-LGBTQ+, antisemitic and anti-Black hate crimes throughout 2022.
