Hairdresser boycotts Gov. Martinez

SANTA FE (AP) - Politics and hair cutting have collided in New Mexico as a Santa Fe hairdresser is refusing to cut Republican Gov. Susana Martinez's hair again because of her opposition to gay marriage.

But the governor isn't worried about looking shaggy.

"This individual is not the governor's regular hairdresser and never has been. He only cut her hair two or three times about 10 months ago," said Scott Darnell, a spokesman for Martinez. "So, this idea about the 'governor losing her hairdresser' is a complete fabrication."

Antonio Darden, who owns a salon in a neighborhood several miles from the Capitol, said Thursday that he never discussed the issue of gay marriage when he cut Martinez's hair in the past. Darden is gay and has lived with the same partner for 15 years.

But last week he left a telephone voice message with the governor's assistant explaining that Martinez's opposition to gay marriage was the reason he declined to schedule an appointment for the governor about two months ago.

"I am going to let all gay people know, 'Stop serving you.' 'Stop providing you with what you need,'" Darden said in the phone recording, which was released by the governor's office.

In the phone message, which at times rambled, Darden also referred to an offensive statement by a state legislator, who had called the governor a "Mexican."

Democratic state Rep. Sheryl Williams Stapleton has apologized for the December comment, saying she did not mean to offend anyone. But Darden in the voice message said the comment was "appropriate."

Darnell said a staffer in the governor's office had called seven or eight salons, including Darden's, several months ago trying to arrange a haircut on short notice. Darden and some others said they weren't able to do it.

Martinez had used Darden before as well as other stylists when she was looking for a hairdresser in Santa Fe after taking office last year.

Darden, 46, said he spoke out because he felt strongly that New Mexico should legally recognize gay marriage.

"I don't agree with her views on this. It's not about a man and a woman. It's about equality and it's about dignity," he said.

Martinez opposes gay marriage, but "does believe that all people should be judged on their merits and not discriminated against," Darnell said in a statement.

Since Martinez took office, there's been no push to legalize gay marriage in New Mexico.

Darden's comments were first reported by KOB-TV, and gay rights activists say his actions should focus attention on New Mexico's law. The state hasn't banned same-sex marriage, but it hasn't endorsed it either.

"Respectful, civil disobedience comes in all forms — from refusing to leave the back of a bus on account of one's skin color, to denying a haircut to the governor of the state of New Mexico for her opposition to same-sex marriage," said Nicholas Rimmer, a spokesman for Equality New Mexico.

"At the end of the day, Mr. Darden's recent civil protest should invite all of us to rethink and re-evaluate our attitudes and beliefs about same-sex families in New Mexico," Rimmer said.