‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ wedding photos slammed as ‘tone deaf’

A couple’s wedding photo, which was inspired by TV show The Handmaid's Tale, has copped major backlash. But have they gone too far?

A Canadian couple who took a Handmaids Tale-inspired wedding photo is receiving backlash for the “tone-deaf” shoot — but their photographers claim it was supposed to “wake people up”.

The newlyweds — Kendra and Torsten — went viral on Wednesday when wedding photos emerged of them kissing in front of “The Wall” in Ontario featured on the show to display the bodies of executed dissidents.

In the photo shoot, the couple posed in a line of women wearing red dresses as handmaids, who are subservient to men and forced to bear their children on the show adapted from Margaret Attwood’s novel, The NY Post reports.

This ‘Handmaid’s Tale’ inspired wedding photo has slammed as ‘tone deaf’ by outraged social media users. Picture: Van Daele & Russell Photography

“If there’s any The Handmaid’s Tale fans out there, you’ll know most of it is filmed in Cambridge.”

Van Daele & Russell photography posted on Tuesday on Facebook. “So as fans of the show, it only seemed fitting for there to be some Handmaids in K&T’s wedding photos along the ‘hanging wall’ in Mill Race Park.”

The photos, however, quickly took off on social media as users slammed the theme, calling it “incredibly dense”.

“I’ve never in my life seen someone so incredibly dense to have missed such a huge point,” one user wrote on the post. “And to make the premier photo at ‘the wall’ no less. Just absolutely stunned right now.”

Another user referred to the dystopian wedding snaps as “tone deaf”.

“This is in such bad taste, is so f***ing incredibly tone-deaf, and ain’t (sic) how you honour this literary work,” another commented.

But the photographers behind the shoot defended the couple’s vision for their special day.

“I knew when creating the image that it would possibly upset people, but that’s sort of the point … to WAKE PEOPLE UP,” they told The NY Post in a statement.

??????????????????????????????????????? pic.twitter.com/zZNzohXZXb

— Thackery Binx (@The_SummerMan) October 3, 2019

“The groom wanted photos on the ‘hanging wall’ which is where we were taking their wedding photos; I joked about adding in some handmaids (since it seemed the natural thing to do since we were there … I’m certain any ‘creative’ or photographer would have the exact same thoughts).”

The photographers said they identified themselves as “gender traitors” — referring to a term used in the novel for gay people — and are “no strangers to many of the subplots of oppression, violence, and inequality that run through Margaret’s brilliant work”.

They said they were thrilled to start a dialogue about oppression, violence and inequality.

“We didn’t expect the photo to go viral, but we are SOOO HAPPY IT HAS because hopefully it will wake people up to how they too contribute to the oppression and hatred that they’re rightfully worked up over,” they said.

And the photographers added they “totally agree” with the wave of criticism the photos have received.

“Mission: accomplished! Everyone is talking about this issue now, rather than binging on a television series and then not doing ANYTHING about what they’re SO worked up over until the next season comes out in the spring,” they said.

This article originally appeared on the NY Post and was reproduced with permission