My WeddingBee Pocket Change

Today was a big day at WeddingBee.

I dont really want to go into all the details, but you can read about it here and here.

Many of the Bees are speaking out against the new development. Some are staying and trying to incite change within. I'm kind of sad.

Not that I think WeddingBee is selling out (I'm not sure I do), but because there is a HUGE division in what used to be a very happy hive family. I love WeddingBee. Its inspired some of my best wedding ideas to date, given me the courage (and many times the instructions) for some cool DIY stuff, and allowed me to meet some of my new blog friends and buy some great wedding stuff for the low.

However, some of the members of the hive have brought up some important points, and so here's what I have to say about the whole business.

1. How do you stay when the parent company may not be overtly discriminating, but they aren't welcoming to people with diverse sexual orientations? As a social psychology and a minority, I have a pretty good understanding about how discrimination works. I know it can be overt and/or blatant, and that systems of oppression tend to be interlocking...its never just sexual orientation, it that and gender and age, etc. I cant say I'm particularly an advocate, but I think that people should be able to get married no matter what their personal life choices are.

2. About diversity, WeddingBee is diverse in that there are women from all different walks of life and all different pats of the country. Some are crafty, some aren't. Some are corporate, some aren't. My two major complaints about WeddingBee were that there was a shortage of plus sized and/or African American brides...both segments of the general population I identify with. Another member brought the Af.Am brides issue up, and allegedly in the 100+ bees that are in existence, there have been 3. Just 3 folks. Did I hope to maybe be one? I'll get to that.

3. There is lots of talk of leaving the hive. Like, ALOT of it. Many think the hive is going to change. It will. But who is to say if the change is going to be positive or negative - that remains to be seen and may average out to be a little of both. However, talk of leaving the hive impacts my status as a future Bee applicant. I'm still a year out, so I wont even be eligible for a few months, but I was considering it, and I dunno if that decision is jeopardized. Could I really volunteer to blog for a site that's totally making money? Do I actually care or do I care because lots of other hive members care. I really don't have any answers for this one folks.

What I do know is that the goings on at the hive have surprisingly affected me. Who ever knew I'd be so impacted by a bunch of strangers? I will say this: I'm skipping town if/when the hive starts to change. Until then I'm sticking around.

That's my $0.02.
♥