Now a lawsuit filed by a lesbian in San Francisco, yes I know, isn't it an oxymoron, against the date matching service eHarmony is an assault on free enterprise cloaked in discrimination.
Linda Carlson either did not realize or is just ignorant but she should know that eHarmony is designed to match heterosexuals in relationships and eventually marriage. eHarmony claims that there are 29 scientific dimensions to compatibility and use it to match potential people, male with female, in hopes that a relationship will develop and marriage will occur.
Well, Miss Carlson tried to enter "women seeking women" and of course was denied on the website. There is no same-sex categories. She even wrote a letter to eHarmony citing that according to California state law, they were engaging in sexual discrimination. Of course, eHarmony did not change its policy based on a letter and the fact that they are not discriminating against gays & lesbians.
According to the Reuters article www.reuters.com/articleId=USN3122132120070531, in a statement made by e-Harmony, they said:
"The research that eHarmony has developed, through years of research , to match couples has been based on traits and personality patterns of successful heterosexual marriages. Nothing precludes us from providing same-sex matching in the future. It's just not a service we offer now based on the research we have conducted."
So, there it is, e-Harmony is a service designed to match heterosexuals in the hopes of marriage based on a scientific theory.
Miss Carlson said, I kid you not, "Such outright discrimination is hurtful and disappointing for a business open to the public in the day and age." Hmm.
It is, by design, a business targeting a specific group of people. Miss Carlson may not be aware, but there are a lot of gay and lesbian websites that target that audience for dating and relationship services. Some of these on on sites that also offer dating and relationship services to heterosexuals as well. That is the way they are designed and that suits their mission.
It is the worst kept secret that the founder of eHarmony, Dr. Neil Clark Warren, is an evangelical Christian and the eHarmony site is tacitly, but not specifically, designed for Christians. Again, nothing wrong with that.
Here is the problem with Miss Carlson and her lawyer, Todd Schnider. This is a company and a business that has the right to cater to who they want to use their product. If there was not another site open to same sex relationships, there is the possibility of a case. But there are hundreds.
The real thrust of the lawsuit is twofold. 1) It is force any business to have to specifically cater to same-sex, even if they can prove that what their business is would not really be related to same-sex relationships. 2) It is also designed to go after Christians and what many believe. No matter where you are on the issue of homosexuality, no one can forcibly change one's beliefs just as no one can forcibly put those beliefs on any one else.
Because this is California, I am afraid this ridiculous lawsuit will see the light of day and may have to work it's way through the court system before one of the courts say that it is enough. Free enterprise should win over political correctness run amok.
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