LGBT & Ally Voices Heard: TODAY Opens Marriage Contest to Same-Sex Couples

When I was at TODAY, I got a lot of crazies on the phone at the front desk:

"Can you connect me to Ann Curry so I can ask her where she got her shoes?"

"Why can't I take a tour of your CLOSED studio?"

"I'm a wronged woman on the run from the police, can you help me?"

But I also got some calls that made a lot of sense:

"Why are you showing segment after segment on the White House crashers when Obama is sending tens of thousands of troops to Iraq today?"

Well, television news is a business, and the White House crashers are going to pull in ratings, is what I wanted to say.  But I also never got to tell those callers (and trust me, there were a lot of them) that I agreed with what they were saying.  So I was really glad when I read this article on USA Today (via Lemondrop.com):

NBC changes rules to allow gay 'Today' wedding

NEW YORK (AP)- After a meeting with gay and lesbian activists on Thursday, NBC's "Today" show said it is changing the rules for its annual wedding contest to allow same-sex couples to apply for a ceremony conducted on morning TV...

NBC said it had listened to voicemails and read e-mails protesting its decision not to allow same-sex marriages. The show considers relations with the gay and lesbian community very important, it said in a statement.

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While I'm sure that the pressure from GLAAD had a much larger effect on the execs at TODAY, it's good to see that the many people who send emails and call the show can have an impact.  So many times I forwarded viewers to the call line, wondering if their thoughts were ever actually heard by anyone, and I love that in this case, they made a difference.

I'm proud of you, NBC!  You GO girl for listening to your viewers and being a good example for the millions of people who watch TODAY in order to promote equality more and more each day!  Don't we all just have a case of the warm and fuzzies, now don't we?

Love and LOVE FOR ALL,
Courtney