A TikToker who labeled a simple-looking wedding ceremony a 'food stamp service' has sparked outrage for promoting harmful stereotypes

• A TikToker posted a video of what appeared to be an at-home wedding ceremony, calling it a "food stamp service."
• Viewers thought the user was mocking the couple's financial situation in his caption.

A TikToker who posted a video of what appeared to be a budget wedding ceremony, dubbing it a "food stamp service," has sparked outrage on the platform from viewers who said his comments were insensitive.

On April 14, a TikTok user named Toda Moyer, according to his bio on the app, shared a clip of what appeared to be a couple getting married in a small room as guests sat in foldable chairs filming the bride walking in.

"I don't care what none of y'all say, this is a beautiful EBT wedding, the highest quality of food stamp service," an on-screen caption on the post read.

EBT refers to an electronic benefit transfer, a system whereby state welfare departments can send cash and food benefits, such as food stamps, to people in financial need.

It is unclear whether the user filmed this video himself, as he typically posts reuploaded footage of comedy skits and memes on his account, rather than filming his own content for the app, but it appears the caption was added by the uplader. The user did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

While few of the user's posts tend to receive more than 10,000 views, the wedding video blew up and received 8.9 million views, as many commenters responded to the caption, interpreting it as sarcastically mocking the couple's wedding and implying that their at-home ceremony indicated that they were struggling financially.

Some commenters labeled the caption "rude" and "judgmental," while others said they completely disagreed with the user's assumptions and thought the wedding ceremony was beautifully simplistic.

"She married her love and that's all that matters. There's nothing Foodstamp about this. Congratulations king and queen, wishing y'all the best," one commenter wrote.

"EBT Wedding or not, she's a beautiful bride!! I bet they last a lifetime!" another comment, which received 103,000 likes, read.

The video has generated a high volume of stitches — which allow users respond to clips on TikTok with their own video statement sharing their thoughts on it — many of which said that they thought the caption promoted harmful stereotypes about Black communities and low-income families.

One user said the caption contained a "hateful" sentiment towards the bride in the clip, and that the video exposed the woman to further mockery about her financial situation by way of it going viral.

Another user said that referring to the ceremony as an "EBT wedding" felt like an "insult" directed towards the bride and that in light of all the discrimination Black women face, people should be celebrating her and her decision to get married, instead of being critical of what her ceremony looked like.

Other users spoke more generally about how they felt there was nothing wrong with a couple opting for a more humble style of ceremony, and one person said they think it is wise to decide to spend less on the wedding today to avoid getting into debt at the start of a marriage.

According to 2016 findings in the "Psychological Science" journal, opposition to welfare policies in the US are often driven by incorrect stereotypes and assumptions that the majority of welfare recipients are Black Americans. In 2020, a number of historians and researchers told Insider that over the past few decades, white people have been disproportionately aided by US welfare programs, which have simultaneously denied support to Black Americans and other people of color in various ways.

Weddings are a hugely popular genre of content on TikTok — especially when they are perceived as being non-traditional. In November 2022, a bride who got married in a pink dress went hugely viral and was flooded with hate as people mocked and criticized her choice of outfit. In March, Insider reported that sharing lists of unconventional wedding rules for guests has become a popular trend on TikTok, sparking heated discussions among commenters.

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