Today Show Agrees To Allow Same-Sex Couples In Wedding Contest

breaking

by Michael Triplett | 6:46 pm, July 8th, 2010

» 18 comments

Today After a meeting with the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, NBC announced that it would permit same-sex couples to participate in the “Modern Love’ wedding contest on Today and extended the deadline for the contest until Monday, July 12. The news was first reported by TVNewser.

Here’s the statement from Today:

Over the past few days TODAY has received a considerable response regarding our wedding contest application. The rules stated that eligible couples must be able to be legally married in New York, where we will host the wedding, therefore excluding same-sex couple applicants. Our intent was not to be discriminatory or exclusive. In 2005 when the wedding took place outside of New York, the application process was open to same-sex couples. We have listened to every voicemail and read every email. We take this feedback seriously, and we will change our application process. TODAY is a longtime supporter of the LGBT community, and GLAAD considers us an ally. We are committed to keeping those relationships strong and positive. We have opened up the application process to same-sex couples, and will extend the deadline to Monday, July 12. Moving forward, we ensure that our future wedding contests will be inclusive of all couples.

The change came after a meeting between GLAAD and Today was held to deal with the disagreement. Earlier this week, GLAAD announced an action alert about the contest after learning about the exclusion from the blog Good as You. Today had argued that it couldn’t include same-sex couples because same-sex marriage is not permitted under New York law, where the Rockefeller Center wedding is set to take place.

GLAAD told its followers that it was pleased with the decision. In a note from GLAAD head Jarrett Barrios, the organization said:

We’re thrilled that Today Show’s ‘Modern Wedding Contest’ now recognizes what most fair-minded Americans have already concluded – a wedding celebrates love and commitment, whether the spouses are straight or gay. NBC heard the thousands of viewers who contacted them and they have moved to make their contest a truly modern wedding where any couple can share their story. NBC is living up to its own high standard of fairness and for this, we applaud them

Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, GLAAD, NBC, Today, Today Show

notsofast

The change came after a meeting between GLAAD and Today was held to deal with the disagreement. ”

Translation: GLAAD threatened to “out” all the gays at NBC /MSNBC!
http://www.heartland.org/environmentandclimate-news.org/ClimateConference4 Just Tex

notsofast says: “Translation: GLAAD threatened to “out” all the gays at NBC /MSNBC!”

You mean a few of them are actually straight?

Coulda fooled me…
marigrace

Very unwise move on the part of MSNBC, with their declining viewership. The gay community and their sympathizers may be offended by the fact they don’t include gays in their wedding contest, however the amount of people offended by including something that millions of Americans still deem as perverse and immoral will hammer just another nail in their coffin of declining viewership.

If MSNBC opens the door for gay couples in their wedding contest, why draw the arbitrary line there? Why not include polygamists in their contest? After all they are “loving, consenting adults,” Why not include a brother and sister? If we cannot draw the line using common sense about what’s best in defining marriage, how can we draw any line at all?

.
marigrace

Is gay marriage legal and recognized in New York? If a gay couple wins the contest, will the marriage be legal?

.
marigrace

Just Tex said:
notsofast says: “Translation: GLAAD threatened to “out” all the gays at NBC /MSNBC!” You mean a few of them are actually straight? Coulda fooled me…

Would that be blackmail?
http://www.heartland.org/environmentandclimate-news.org/ClimateConference4 Just Tex

marigrace says: “Would that be blackmail?”

Of course not!

I mean, if Leftist’ radical Black Panthers can be video taped blocking a polling place while carrying weapons, and NOT be prosecuted for violating the Civil Rights of voters, there’s no such thing as “Lawlessness”.

Is there?

Man, do you have a lot of catching up to do. Look here:

http://tinyurl.com/28vzc3z

And here:

http://tinyurl.com/28bdzgg

And here:

http://tinyurl.com/24h3o55

And here:

http://tinyurl.com/3xkokz7

And here:

http://tinyurl.com/2ff86b3

And I could go on and on and on…
http://www.heartland.org/environmentandclimate-news.org/ClimateConference4 Just Tex

Wow!

Now, several comments have been removed from this thread, even though none of the removed comments have been offensive, in any way at all.

Whoever Mediaite has on “censor” patrol tonight, sure doesn’t like the truth being told on this thread!

I wonder why the censor person believes that only one side of this story should be told?

Regardless, I suppose that Goebbels would still be proud!
http://www.mediaite.com MediaiteTV

@Just Tex – Terms like ‘Sexual Deviant’ are not welcome here. If you would like to comment on the story, please do so without using inflammatory rhetoric -Thanks
marigrace

Oh heavens to betsy…I have seen far worse inflammatory words used here, than the words Tex used. But it didn’t matter because it didn’t involve America’s sacred cow….gay marriage.
timzank

And who out there DIDN’T think NBC would cave?

C’mon.
http://www.heartland.org/environmentandclimate-news.org/ClimateConference4 Just Tex

MediaiteTV says: “@Just Tex – Terms like ‘Sexual Deviant’ are not welcome here.”

I, and almost everyone I know, do indeed consider homosexuality to be “sexual deviance”.

However, looking for middle ground, please advise me (and others) of the term or terms we should use at this site, that will accurately convey what we believe to be true, regarding the sexually deviant practice of homosexuality?

Also, although it’s not all that important, I’ll be happy to see any explanation of how anyone can actually not believe that homosexuality is not sexual deviance?

Especially when considering that only a tiny percentage of the population “deviate” from the norm. Which of course, is heterosexuality.

In support of my position, here is a quote from the summary of The National Health and Social Life Survey (aka “The Sex Survey” http://cloud9.norc.uchicago.edu/faqs/sex.htm )

“Results reported from the study, and included in The Social organization of sexuality, include those related to sexual practices and sexual relationships, number of partners, the rate of homosexuality in the population (which the study reported to be 1.3% for women within the past year, and 4.1% since 18 years; for men, 2.7% within the past year, and 4.9% since 18 years; in all, much lower than the Kinsey report of 10%; pp. 293-296), formative sexual experiences, sexually transmitted diseases, fertility, cohabitation and marriage.”

So, with all that so, this isn’t a prank post at all.

I do indeed need a term, or set of terms, for use while posting here.
Iris

OMG! the gays will be on TV that is so so scary lets go hide in our closets. Jeeze are you guys like 100 years old.
PureFreedom

Well Gays are 12% of the population
Give it a break! Being gay is a lifestyle not a skin color or religion!
I should start complaining to NBC that I am tired of every commercial or TV show makes the White male or the Dad the dumb one.
http://www.heartland.org/environmentandclimate-news.org/ClimateConference4 Just Tex

PureFreedom says: “Well Gays are 12% of the population”

Your figure is inflated, & far from being correct. I’ve posted the most accurate numbers available today, above.

From the summary of The National Health and Social Life Survey (aka “The Sex Survey” http://cloud9.norc.uchicago.edu/faqs/sex.htm )

“Results reported from the study, and included in The Social organization of sexuality, include those related to sexual practices and sexual relationships, number of partners, the rate of homosexuality in the population (which the study reported to be 1.3% for women within the past year, and 4.1% since 18 years; for men, 2.7% within the past year, and 4.9% since 18 years; in all, much lower than the Kinsey report of 10%; pp. 293-296), formative sexual experiences, sexually transmitted diseases, fertility, cohabitation and marriage.”
be_real

Any percentage that is given for the rate of homosexuality in the population is speculative at best. How can you possibly have an accurate number when many of the people in the group you are reporting on will not admit that they are part of the group in the first place? Think about it Just Tex, any statistic can be interrupted in a manner that will prove your predetermined objective.

How many immigrants are there in the United States? Numbers vary from 10 million to over 30 million. An accurate number is not possible as a large percentage of people fitting into that group are hidden.

As far as your request for terms goes – here is one for you – IGNORANT!
http://www.heartland.org/environmentandclimate-news.org/ClimateConference4 Just Tex

be_real says: “As far as your request for terms goes – here is one for you – IGNORANT!”

Indeed. All things considered, that term clearly sums you up rather well.

Thanks for taking the time to suggest that.
Iris

No time for worryin’ about bein ignorant now Tex, The Gays Are Comin’ to TV! run and hide!
alanreese

marigrace said:
Very unwise move on the part of MSNBC, with their declining viewership. The gay community and their sympathizers may be offended by the fact they don’t include gays in their wedding contest, however the amount of people offended by including something that millions of Americans still deem as perverse and immoral will hammer just another nail in their coffin of declining viewership.

If MSNBC opens the door for gay couples in their wedding contest, why draw the arbitrary line there? Why not include polygamists in their contest? After all they are “loving, consenting adults,” Why not include a brother and sister? If we cannot draw the line using common sense about what’s best in defining marriage, how can we draw any line at all?

.

Well, here’s where I wish to draw the line…ILLEGALITY. Polygamy is against the law, as is incest, however homosexuality is not. The only legal differences between a heterosexual marriage and a homosexual marriage are the rights afforded to the partner. Heterosexual union s are recognized fully, whereas homosexual unions are not.

And don’t even start on the ramifications of outdated sodomy laws still inexplicably on the books in certain states…most people no longer understand just what sodomy entails, and are therefore very confused as to what exactly it prohibits. (Suffice it to say that it encompasses a much larger segment of the sexuality spectrum than you might realize)

written from (insert any state here), where it is still illegal to put an odd number of squirrels in your pants for the purposes of gambling.

AR