TELECOM Digest OnLine - Sorted: eHarmony Sued For Discriminatory Actions

eHarmony Sued For Discriminatory Actions

Jill Serjeant, Reuters (reuters@telecom-digest.org))
Thu, 31 May 2007 23:19:29 -0500

The popular online dating service eHarmony was sued Thursday for
refusing to offer its services to gays, lesbians, and bisexuals.

By Reuters
InformationWeek

LOS ANGELES -- The popular online dating service eHarmony was sued
Thursday for refusing to offer its services to gays, lesbians, and
bisexuals.

A lawsuit alleging discrimination based on sexual orientation was
filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on behalf of Linda Carlson, who
was denied access to eHarmony because she is gay.

Lawyers bringing the action said they believed it was the first
lawsuit of its kind against eHarmony, which has long rankled the gay
community with its failure to offer a "men seeking men" or "women
seeking women" option.

They were seeking to make it a class action lawsuit on behalf of gays
and lesbians denied access to the dating service.

eHarmony was founded in 2000 by evangelical Christian Dr. Neil Clark
Warren and had strong early ties with the influential religious
conservative group Focus on the Family.

It has more than 12 million registered users, and heavy television
advertising has made it one of the nation's biggest Internet dating
sites.

Carlson, who lives in the San Francisco Bay area, tried to use the
site's dating services in February 2007. When she was denied access,
she wrote to eHarmony explaining its anti-gay policy was discrimin-
atory under California law but the company refused to change it,
according to the lawsuit.

"Such outright discrimination is hurtful and disappointing for a
business open to the public in this day and age," she said.

eHarmony could not immediately be reached for comment. Commenting in
the past on eHarmony's gay and lesbian policy, Warren has said that he
does not know the dynamics of same-sex relationships but he expects
the principles to be different.

"This lawsuit is about changing the landscape and making a statement
out there that gay people, just like heterosexuals, have the right and
desire to meet other people with whom they can fall in love," said
Carlson lawyer Todd Schneider.

Carlson's lawyers expect a significant number of gays and lesbians to
join the class action, which seeks to force eHarmony to end its policy
and unspecified damages for those denied eHarmony services based on
their sexual orientation.

By: Jill Serjeant
Copyright 2007 Reuters.

[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Gay, or LGBT persons may wish to get
in touch with attorney Todd Schneider in San Francisco in inquire
about being added to the pending lawsuit. PAT]

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