The Today Show‘s annual contest to get married on the show and get a free honeymoon is underway. But the gays need not apply.
GLAAD has issued a call to action, not long after NBC explained, at their request, why gay and lesbian couples were excluded from the contest:
“For the TODAY show wedding, the couple must be able to be legally married in New York, which is where the wedding will take place.”
But GLAAD isn’t buying it.
This is not a valid argument since New York State legally recognizes same-sex marriages licensed in other states. Same-sex couples can now legally obtain marriage licenses in Iowa, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and Washington D.C. NBC is mistakenly equating the marriage license with the wedding celebration.
Does any of this matter? Well, it does if you think that a show that regularly gets five to six million viewers and arguably sets a normative standard for mainstream America would benefit from allowing gays to compete. Is Today arguing in good faith when it says that legal marriage is the benchmark for inclusion? Or were they just trying not to offend the Real Americans that make up their base? Unfortunately for them, it’s too late to avert controversy now.
Today‘s Wedding: Modern Love [Facebook]
Gay And Lesbian People Need Not Apply [GLAAD]