Disney's Magic Kingdom Closed to Same-sex Weddings

Today's first AfterElton main page article is all about how Disney discriminates against gay and lesbian couples by refusing to allow same-sex wedding ceremonies to be held at Disney World in Florida. (The same is basically true of Disneyland in California, but it's slightly more complicated.) The story came about because a little more than two weeks ago I happened to catch an episode of The View that featured a segment on David Tutera, a well-known party planner who had joined forces to design a selection of high-end couture weddings for Walt Disney World's Fairy Tale Weddings & Honeymoons division in Florida. After watching it, I was going to do a jokey blogpost about how dare a gay man (Tutera is openly gay) inflict Disney weddings on the world. I was all set to remark that the first time a gay couple held their wedding at Disney, they would have to re-design the whole thing. Then it occurred to me I should make certain gay couples could have their wedding at Disney. It seemed so obvious to me that of course gays and lesbians would be welcome at Disney that I very nearly didn't make the call. But I finally did and was astounded when told by a Disney Wedding Consultant that the Magic Kingdom was closed to same-sex couples looking to have a wedding. I knew any such weddings wouldn't have any legal weight with the state of Florida (or anywhere else except for a Massachusetts couple with a Massachusetts' license), but that didn't have anything to do with who Disney could offer their services to. What followed was a rather confusing week as I got conflicting information from Disney Wedding Consultants and even the Fairy Tale Weddings & Honeymoons website. But I finally did get a spokesperson to confirm only heterosexual couples were welcome to celebrate their love with a wedding at Disney. Disney claimed again and again it was only because the state of Florida doesn't recognize same-sex marriage that they couldn't do same-sex weddings. Unfortunately for them, the two things are completely separate. Basically, Disney is trying to justify their discrimination by using the state of Florida's. The situation is a little different in California where they also require a valid California marriage license for a wedding, but they will hold domestic partner commitment ceremonies. However, there is a catch. The Disney wedding team won't do those, leaving it instead to the local corporate office to plan. And while heterosexual couples are welcome to wed in the Rose Court Garden, gay couples are strictly verboten from holding their ceremonies there. Call it separate and unequal. Check out the article then come back here to share your thoughts. And if you have some thoughts to share with Disney here is some contact info.

Fairy Tale Weddings & Honeymoons at Disneyland Resort: 714 956 6527

Fairy Tale Weddings & Honeymoons at Walt Disney World Resort: 321 939 4610

Disney can also be reached through their website here or here.