stinkerpants design

Earlier today my good buddy, the Blogger Formerly Known as Mrs. Gingerbread, sent me a little link.  This little link had some very big news.  The article is super short, so I’ll quote it in its entirety here:

TRENTON, N.J. — Online dating service eHarmony is adding another personality trait to its 29 dimensions of computability.

The California-based company will begin providing same-sex matches under as part of a settlement with New Jersey’s Civil Rights Division.

Garden State resident Eric McKinley filed a complaint against the online matchmaker in 2005.

Under terms of the settlement, the company can create a new or differently named Web site for same-sex singles. The company can also post a disclaimer saying its compatibility-based matching system was developed from research of married heterosexual couples.

Neither the company nor its founder, Neil Clark Warren, admit any liability.

In addition, eHarmony will pay the division $50,000 to cover administrative costs. It will pay McKinley $5,000 and give him a free one-year membership to its new service.

Pretty interesting, huh?  There’s also this link, here, which is basically the same information, but adds this information about the terms of the settlement:

• eHarmony, Inc. will post photos of same-sex couples in the “Diversity” section of its Web site as successful relationships are created using the company’s same-sex matching service. In addition, eHarmony, Inc. will include photos of same-sex couples, as well as individual same-sex users, in advertising materials used to promote its same-sex matching services
• eHarmony, Inc. will revise anti-discrimination statements placed on company Web sites, in company handbooks and other company publications to make plain that it does not discriminate on the basis of “sexual orientation”
• the company has committed to advertising and public relations/ marketing dedicated to its same-sex matching service, and will retain a media consultant experienced in promoting the “fair, accurate and inclusive” representation of gay and lesbian people in the media to determine the most effective way of reaching the gay and lesbian communities.

As you likely recall, I left Weddingbee after making a public statement about my disagreement with eHarmony’s discriminatory practices. I didn’t leave because I thought I’d have any impact on eHarmony’s practices.  I simply did it because I couldn’t sleep at night knowing I was making them money.

So how do I feel about eHarmony now that they’ve agreed to offer same-sex matching?  Will I be returning to Weddingbee?

My opinions about eHarmony haven’t changed–quite frankly, I think they stink.  This isn’t a decision that eHarmony made on its own.  They didn’t suddenly realize that they were being unfair by excluding gay people from their matching.  They didn’t even make the decision to go into same-sex matching for monetary reasons.  They did it because they were sued, and for no other reason.  I think it’s sad that they will likely get/take credit for being “open” and “accepting,” despite the fact that this wasn’t really their choice.  I still think the company sucks, and I’m still not wild about the idea of volunteering to make them money.

I also feel that they got off pretty darn easy.  $50k and the cost of one membership, all for agreeing to do something that will make them a crapload of money!?  I’m not single (obviously), but if I were, I still wouldn’t use their services.  They may start providing same-sex matches, but they’re doing it for all the wrong reasons.

I am happy to hear that the settlement worked out this way, though, and MAD PROPS to Eric McKinley for pursuing the lawsuit.  At least someone in charge (in New Jersey) seems to realize that excluding the LGBTQ community is wrong.  Now, if we could only get our government to realize that the LGBTQ community shouldn’t be excluded from marriage, either!