A Tennessee pizza shop is facing backlash after refusing to cater same-sex weddings

Pizza shop in Chattanooga, TennesseeShe said not providing catering for same-sex weddings was a choice of “personal conviction” after critics slammed her over the policy.

Wood-fired pizzeria Pizzeria Cortile posted a statement to Her Facebook account On Tuesday, she confirmed her policy after a left-leaning media company first drew attention to it the day before.

“We recently made the difficult decision not to have a wedding due to… Our personal beliefs“This belief comes from a place of personal conviction, one we know not everyone shares, and one we hold without judgment toward others,” Pizza Cortile wrote. This decision was not intended to hurt or hurt anyone, and we are sorry for the pain this has caused people who have been part of our community.

“We recognize and hear the comments of everyone who has reached out to us today. We hope that over time we will find an opportunity to extend grace and listen to each other, and to remember that even though we may not always agree, we can still treat each other with dignity and love.”

D.C. PIZZA store owner calls for unity after facing backlash from locals for congratulating Trump

The statement thanked the community and asked for the opportunity “to continue to show love to you when you come through our doors.”

Pizzeria Cortile has restricted comments within this specific post. However, her Facebook page was filled with hundreds of negative comments attacking the decision under other, unrelated posts.

A previous post from Sunday featuring photos of one of his dishes received more than 1,500 comments in response to the controversy in the past 24 hours.

“There are no reasonable two sides here. No one is asking you to be gay. Or promote Any type of message. They ordered pizza. The fanatics refused. This is the whole story. It’s not deeper. It’s black and white discrimination,” said a Facebook comment that received more than 200 likes.

Click here for the latest media and cultural news

“Are you going to start asking your customers about their sexual orientation when they enter the neighborhood?” Another top sneered. “Being bisexual, am I welcome?…Is it better if you go ahead and put on your website that you don’t cater/serve gay people as well.”

Another notable comment suggested that someone alert the IRS to audit the business.

Online commentators also criticized the owners, calling them “fanatics” and hoping their businesses would be affected by the news.

One commentator defended the work, citing Supreme Court precedent.

“The Supreme Court has ruled on this, and it’s actually not discrimination. You’re free to make your own choices, but they are. Who are you to force someone else to share your beliefs and then expect them not to do the same,” the caption read.

The flood of negative attention appears to have been driven by posts on Reddit and by readers of the progressive news site The Chattanooga Holler, which first called attention to the company’s policy on Monday.

“INBOX: Pizzeria Cortile obviously won’t cater to same-sex weddings. Just let people not waste their time (or money),” the Chattanooga Holler posted on its social media accounts, along with a screenshot response from the pizzeria.

“All I hear is: ‘We’re allowed to be homophobes before God,'” one person quipped in Holler’s Facebook post.

Another person added: “Calling bigotry a ‘personal conviction’ is a gross misrepresentation.”

A post on social media titled “Large L for Cortile Pizzaposted on Chattanooga Reddit on Monday also attracted more than 900 comments, with the majority appearing to attack the company.

Pizza Cortile did not respond to a request for comment.

Get FOX Business on the go by clicking here