eHarmony Sued For Discrimination

BAY AREA REPORTER -- June 7 -- Carlson claimed that when she attempted to use the Web site in February 2007 she was "denied the ability to do so based on her sexual orientation." eHarmony allegedly violated California's Unruh Civil Rights Act. Said Schneider, with Schneider and Wallace. "Segregation in this country ended a long time ago and apparently eHarmony hasn't realized that gay rights is civil rights." Earlier this year a study, "The Close Relationships of Lesbians and Gay Men", by UCLA researchers, found that "lesbians, gay men, and heterosexuals seek similar qualities in their romantic partners. Regardless of sexual orientation, most individuals value affection, dependability, shared interests, and similarity of religious beliefs." LGBT dating services, such as the newly launched myPartnerPerfect.com and LavenderLiaisons.com provide services to gays and lesbians. In a statement released this week by Patrick Perrine, the founder of myPartnerPerfect.com and creator of its "Partner Perfect Compatibility" test, stated that he started the site "partially because of the discriminating policy of eHarmony."  Warren was quoted in USA Today, "We don't really want to participate in something that's illegal" when asked about providing matchmaking services to lesbians and gays, referring to the fact that lesbian and gay couples aren't currently legally allowed to marry, except in Massachusetts. FULL ARTICLE @ BAY AREA REPORTER