“If you are a God fearing, truth loving person, do not patronize this place.”  Beware, dear reader. The Queers are out to get you caffeinated. The cat’s out of the bag. Shortly after stealing the rainbow from God, the LGBTQ+ community moved on to the next logical step, creating safe spaces in the form of coffee shops. We want to supply you with that extra pep in your step you need to sin. 

Lucky for all the God fearing, truth loving people out there, Luna Coffee has finally gotten their comeuppance. One man is on a mission to protect the people of Great Falls from the gay agenda (iced coffee and board games) and he is sending a LOT of emails.  He’s also calling, leaving messages, and review-bombing Luna on google and yelp. This dude REALLY hates gay people, and he definitely doesn’t want to drink their coffee.

A few favorites from his correspondence include his assertion that, “I have heard this establishment is “lgbtq” owned. 2024 is going to be different for you.” Why is “lgbtq” in quotation marks? Are you implying we aren’t real, like Santa Claus and the trickle-down economy? Honestly making me feel ethereal, and I like it.

Later, he writes, “Do NOT ENDORSE sexual perversion and degeneracy in the public square!” What I like here is the phrase “in the public square!” Feels like a real throw back. This man wants to put someone in the stocks and he is not afraid to show it.

In his One-Star review written under the name “Mr Sonoranbird” he asks, “What side of the conflict of this insidious ideology will you be on?” Fair question. As a bisexual, I refuse to choose sides. 

I can confirm that Luna Coffee is indeed an LGBTQ+ owned business. (I am sharing this with permission, which should always be the practice!)  Last time I checked, they had an extensive tea and coffee menu, but no visible Gay Agenda anywhere. Rather, Luna is a local business that contributes significantly to our community, both as an employer and as an accessible community space. 

It’s easy to dismiss people like “Mr Sonoranbird” as stupid. Often well-meaning folks suggest that the recipients of discrimination should shake it off, not let it affect them, don’t even respond. But that’s not how it works. It doesn’t stop discrimination, and it doesn’t acknowledge the very real effect these kinds of messages have on people.  The truth is, messages like this often escalate into real world danger. Along the way, they make people feel unsafe and unwanted. One-star reviews can indeed drive down business, and could ultimately result in jobs lost.

Community means protecting one another from shit like this. So let’s not dismiss this. Instead, let’s show Luna Coffee some support.  Here’s what I’m asking. Over the coming weeks, make an effort to stop by Luna Coffee. Try something new on the menu.  Snap a selfie, send it to us, and we’ll compile them to share in an update. Leave Luna a good review. Help us further the gay agenda of creating a community that stands up for one another.