Why Russell Wilson, Ciara did not get married in North Carolina

The Seahawks Russell Wilson and Ciara were originally supposed to get married in North Carolina, but that state’s recent stance on transgender bathroom rights deterred the couple.

Photos of Russell Wilson and Ciara’s wedding in England

According to a recent article in The Knot, the planner for the Wilson-Ciara wedding explains the whole process of planning the ceremony. In fact, Wedding Planner Mindy Weiss organized three weddings for the couple. But because of difficulties, and stances on issues, they eventually acted on the third option in England. Weiss told The Knot:

I did the whole thing — three times. They were first getting married in North Carolina, but they called it off due to the transgender bathroom laws.

Wilson and Ciara also had their sights set on Paris, but a high-profile fashion event conflicted with their plans. Eventually, they were wed at a castle outside of Liverpool.

Over the past year, North Carolina law makers considered legislation that would effectively ban transgender men and women from using bathroom facilities that aligned with their identities. Wilson and Ciara would not be the first celebrities to take their business out of North Carolina over the issue of transgender bathroom discrimination. Bruce Springsteen, Pearl Jam and Maroon 5 all canceled performances in the state citing transgender bathroom rights as the cause. Internet giant PayPal halted plans to move a facility to North Carolina over the issue as well.

ESPN’s Sheil Kapadia points out that Russell Wilson recently commented sports stars, such as himself, working for social change. Wilson recently told Kapadia:

Well, I think we all have a responsibility. It’s not just on athletes, it’s not just on coaches, it’s not just on anybody in particular. It’s on all of us. I think ultimately it comes down to love and appreciating one another and respect for one another.

It’s an appreciation for society, an appreciation for the country we live in, an appreciation for the towns and cities that we live in. Ultimately, it comes down to all of us to make sure we appreciate one another.

Ron and Don response to Russell Wilson, Ciara

“What’s amazing to me about this is that he’s a pretty stout evangelical,” Don said. “And there’s a lot of evangelicals out there that wouldn’t take this stance. I’m very proud of Russell Wilson for taking this stance. Most evangelicals I know wouldn’t take this stance. They would feel very differently.”

Ron has always had a tough time jumping on the Russell Wilson bandwagon. Mostly because the brand and image that is promoted by the Seahawks quarterback doesn’t really speak to him. But Ron found himself happy with this hometown sports star.

“Yeah, I’m having a change of heart about Russell Wilson,” Ron said. “There have been some things that stylistically just rubbed me the wrong way. But to come out publicly and say this, when probably people in his own church or people that championed him when he said he was staying celibate until getting married aren’t on the same page … usually those things are a package deal. You throw in no premarital sex, and you throw in the anti-gay, and you throw in the anti-abortion, and you throw that all in to a coalition of beliefs.”

“While he didn’t say it, the wedding planner did, I think it speaks volumes about his mindset,” he said.

Ron also said that the stance could be a bi-product of Wilson’s generation and people becoming more enlightened on LBGTQ issues.

“I’m curious if there is a certain age of evangelicals in their 20s and 30s that don’t seem to have a problem with homosexuality in the same way that evangelicals in their 40s, 50s and older do,” Ron said. “I wonder if people of Russell Wilson’s age look at it and say ‘I don’t care.'”

“And you have to think that Ciaria, especially being in pop music and having choreographers, dancers and musicians, has had a lot of exposure to people of difference sexual orientations,” he said. “Once you become friends with your hairstylist, your producer, back-up dancer, or someone choreographing your show and they happen to be gay, it’s really hard to make these sweeping statements about a group of people. You can say, ‘That’s not what my friend is like,’ and ‘I want my friend to find a partner.’ I think you have a change of heart when you are exposed to that.”

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