News, Reviews & Commentary on Gay and Bisexual Men in Entertainment and the Media

eHarmony.com agrees to become more harmonious to gay customers


You probably remember the classic commercial above, which was made last year by Chemistry.com as a response to the "no homos allowed" rule by rival dating service eHarmony.com.

The story was covered extensively but eHarmony refused to budge, and we've had to endure countless commercials of allegedly happy straight couples shoving their lifestyles in our faces.

Unfortunately for eHarmony they couldn't escape the lawsuits that were filed, and today they agreed to provide same sex matches as part of a settlement agreement:

Under terms of the settlement, the company can create a new or differently named Web site for same-sex singles. The company can also post a disclaimer saying its compatibility-based matching system was developed from research of married heterosexual couples.

The question is, with all the dating services who happily provide for gay customers, will anyone choose a service that's forced to? Would you?

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  • seanb's picture

    No.

    No.
    Average (2 votes):
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    Carl's picture

    Absolutely

    NOT!
    Average (2 votes):
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    Dean's picture

    Absolutely NO!

    I am in agreement with those above me, E-Harmoney, too little, too late!  Their disclaimer that they are "allowed" is insulting at best, and the community as a whole should not use this service or an affiliate service period.  IMPO!
    Average (1 vote):
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    Mister 2's picture

    Can anyone say Bad Business Model?

    It's absurd. If they were a public company, the stockholders wouldn't stand for such nonsense. 

    Average (2 votes):
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    ndro's picture

    NO WAY!

    When they get around to setup the new SEPARATE website for gay people, can we make sure it is posted here AND everywhere to make sure none of us support the site?

    To exclude homosexuals from something is hateful from the start, to create SEPARATE area only to comply with law is just plain insulting.

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    seanID22's picture

    meharmony

    They can't possibly deliver if not enough gay people sign up for this thing. I mean, have you ever had yourself brought up as a match for yourself? It seems a little pointless.
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    duckiestoy's picture

    I'll never understand these stupid games

    eHarmony is a dating site that caters to singles looking for the opposite sex partners. They match based on studies of heterosexual married couples. I have no problem with any of this. 

    After being sued, they may offer similar services to same-sex seeking singles. Here I see some homosexuals want to band together and make that separate gay-specific service a failure?

    If the company assumed the heterosexual data and their compatibility models would work well with matching homosexual couples, gays would still be outraged.

    This is yet another temper tantrum from certain gays masquerading as a fight for justice or equality.

    If I were a single looking for a relationship, I wouldn't be inclined to go with eHarmony because the guy in their ads creeps me out! 

    That said, just to thumb my nose at the above crybabies, if I were a single looking for a gay relationship I'd try out a new gay service from eHarmony.

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    seanb's picture

    Missing the point

    I admire your provocateur nature, but you're missing the point on this one. Speaking for myself, there's not outrage or crybaby-ness involved. But really think about this, rather than just being reactive. E-harmony doesn't want to serve gay people, they only are setting up a gay service because they're forced to. Which raises two important issues for gay people: 1. Can you assume good models, good service, and good results from a company that really doesn't want to serve you? 2. Philosophically, why would you want to support a company that doesn't want you, that (apparently) doesn't approve of you, when there are many other services out there that DO want you? I can see no logic in that. It's not a tantrum, just a rational understanding of the underlying issues.
    the herald's picture

    Why should they be forced to?

    That's what I don't get.  If they're bigots, they have every right to be bigots.  We can take our money somewhere else.