NBC's Today Show to Gays: We'll Recognize Your Marriages

Score one for the gays! After a call to action by the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, NBC’s Today show has announced that it will officially allow gay couples to enter its annual “Modern Day Wedding” contest, which each year features one couple getting hitched on live television, after voting by the show’s viewers. GLAAD reached out after it discovered that Today hadn’t been allowing same-sex couples into the competition. And what a lovely surprise: NBC listened.

Apparently relations with the gay and lesbian community are important to the network and the show. “Moving forward, we ensure that our future wedding contests will be inclusive to all couples,” NBC said in a statement. The network had initially argued that it excluded gays and lesbians because “the couple must be able to be legally married in New York, which is where the wedding will take place.” The smarties at GLAAD, however, pointed out that New York legally recognizes same-sex marriages that are licensed in other states.

“We’re thrilled that Today Show’s ‘Modern Wedding Contest’ now recognizes what most fair-minded Americans have already concluded—a wedding celebrates love and commitment, whether the spouses are straight or gay,” said Jarrett Barrios, president of GLAAD. “NBC heard GLAAD and the thousands of viewers who contacted them. And they have moved to make their contest a truly modern wedding where any couple can share their story … we encourage qualified same-sex couples to submit their applications.”

And the network responded: “Our intent was not to be discriminatory or exclusive,” the network said. “In 2005 when the wedding took place outside of New York, the application process was open to same-sex couples. We have listened to every voicemail and read every email. We take this feedback seriously, and we will change our application process. Moving forward, we ensure that our future wedding contests will be inclusive of all couples.”

How refreshing is this news? I’m loving it, not that I ever have any intention to get married on live television. But if my fellow gays want to do it, more power to them! Why shouldn’t they be able to get married with Meredith Vieira, Al Roker, and Matt Lauer standing nearby?