An openly gay pastor who claimed a Whole Foods made him a cake with a homophobic slur has dropped a lawsuit after admitting the supermarket chain “did nothing wrong.”
Jordan Brown, founder of the Church of Open Doors in Austin, Texas, issued a public apology for his hoax on May 16.
“I want to apologize to Whole Foods and its team members for questioning the company’s commitment to its values, and especially the bakery associate who I understand was put in a terrible position because of my actions … I apologize to the LGBT community for diverting attention from real issues. I also want to apologize to my partner, my family, my church family, and my attorney.”
Brown previously claimed that he ordered a cake with the words “Love Wins,” only to find an employee had included an offensive term describing homosexuals. He said the alleged incident reawakened past traumas associated with discrimination he claims to have experienced.
Whole Foods later released surveillance footage, showing the seal had been moved after Brown purchased the cake.
A Whole Foods Market press release stated that the company was no longer pursuing a six-figure countersuit against Brown after his public admission that his story was fabricated.
“We’re very pleased that the truth has come to light,” the company said.
