Lifetime De-Gays Movie Version of "The 19th Wife," Author is "Disappointed" and "Baffled"

Chyler Leigh and Matt Czuchry (as Jordan) in Lifetime's The 19th Wife

Last night, Lifetime aired a TV movie called The 19th Wife that tells the story of a man, Jordan, who has been excommunicated from the Mormon Church, and his efforts to help his mother, a member of a polygamous sect who has been accused of killing her husband.

The movie is based on a novel by David Ebershoff. But there was one big difference between the movie and novel: in the novel, Jordan is gay, and a sub-plot involves his relationship with another man. This was cut from the movie version.

We asked Ebershoff, who lives in New York City, for a reaction, and he told us:

I had no role in the adaptation. A few weeks before filming began I learned that Jordan had been rewritten as straight. I was told that this was a network decision. Obviously I was offended, disappointed, and baffled. I hope that the movie sends people to the book so that they can meet my Jordan, along with his boyfriend, Tom, and their dogs, Elektra and Joey.

As for Lifetime, a spokesperson said, "There was a lot changed from the book and that was one of the things."

Lifetime recently received a "good" rating, the second-highest rating, in GLAAD's latest Network Responsibility Index, which rates the networks and cable channels on GLBT inclusion. In 2009, Lifetime aired the widely-praised movie Prayers for Bobby, also based on a book, about how a religious woman's anti-gay beliefs drove her gay son to suicide.

This is the latest in a long list of projects that have been "de-gayed" for movies or television. Recent examples include the movies The Vintner's Luck, and De-Lovely and Alexander, in which the historical subjects' gayness was greatly de-emphasized.

AfterElton.com has reached out to the producers for an explanation as to why the change was made.