Linda Carlson, a lesbian from California, recently sued eHarmony.com because the site does not allow those seeking same-sex or bisexual relationships to join. The lawsuit claims that by only offering to find a compatible match for men seeking women or women seeking men, the company was violating state law barring discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.
eHarmony also rejects applications from separated people, which implies that the site is solely for people looking to get married. Apparently, those seeking platonic friendship, casual sex, or unmarried relationships of varying levels of commitment need not apply, either. Applicants take an extensive personality test, with 16 percent being rejected as "poor marriage prospects", because they are deemed to be "emotionally unhealthy". By whose standards, I wonder. I can't help but think that perhaps many of those they reject for this reason probably are just lonely, not crazy.
Neil Clark Warren, a Christian psychologist author with ties to James Dobson's Focus on the Family, is the founder of eHarmony, which explains the discriminatory nature of this site. When asked why his site doesn't provide same-sex matching, Warren pointed out that same-sex marriage is illegal in most states. "We don't really want to participate in something that's illegal."
I think eHarmony is cutting off its nose to spite its face. Opening their services to those seeking same-sex relationships, bisexual relationships, and heterosexual relationships whose purpose/goal is something other than monogamous marriage could only be a profitable way to expand its market.
Thoughts?
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