Cedar Point Amusement Park Cancels Wedding Contest…Rather than Allow Gay Couples to Participate
SANDSUSKY, Ohio
— CEDAR POINT, A huge amusement park in Ohio is canceling a wedding contest after a gay
couple organized a protest against the promotion because it excluded
same-sex couples.
Cedar Point amusement park, one the biggest coaster parks in the US, initially limited the
contest to male and female couples because it said state law doesn’t
allow gay couples to legally marry in Ohio. A spokesman says the park
decided to cancel the event once it started to take on political
undertones, reported the Sandusky Register.
Akron couple Scott Kenimond, 37, and Eric Morrison, 28, who had
considered holding their commitment ceremony at the park, recruited
friends and strangers to send “tweets” to Cedar Point, asking them to
allow gay couples to apply.
“It doesn’t matter if it’s legal or not,” Morrison said. “You should be able to have a commitment ceremony.”
Cedar Point simply decided to cancel the contest.
The theme
said there was no negative intent for the contest, but that “Cedar Point
does not take any official stance on political issues.”
“I’m
disappointed they would choose to go that way rather than stand behind
their LGBT community,” said Morrison. “Ultimately, they’re playing it
safe. But it’s a cowardly choice.”
What kind of message does this send to their LGBT employees? to their LGBT park guests?
With marriage equality gaining in popularity, why not allow it, and be the hero?
THE OFFICIAL STATEMENT –
Cedar Point does not discriminate against any guest for any reason. The ‘Friday
the 13th Wedding’ event was created as a fun, in-park promotion to
generate excitement for the kickoff of HalloWeekends. There was no
negative intent.
When the promotion logistics started to take on
political undertones, as indicated by several guests who gave us
feedback, it was decided that now is not the best time for this event.
Cedar Point does not take any official stance on political
issues.
Outside of official park-provided promotions, Cedar
Point does offer opportunities for all couples to have weddings,
commitment ceremonies and other events here at the park. We encourage
guests to contact us if they’re interested in planning
such an event.
Ohioans’ certitude about gay marriage a decade ago has given way to ambiguity, potentially
setting the stage next year for a second major battle on one of the most divisive social issues of
our time.
Some backers of a constitutional amendment to allow two consenting adults to marry regardless of
gender want to go to the statewide ballot in the 2014 gubernatorial election, a roll of the dice on
a question that 62 percent of voters answered in 2004. They amended the constitution to define
marriage as between a man and a woman, effectively prohibiting same-sex marriages in Ohio.
Since then, polling shows a shift in Ohioans’ views, and there have been high-profile Republican
defectors to the pro-gay-marriage side, including U.S. Sen. Rob Portman of Cincinnati and former
Ohio attorney general and state auditor Jim Petro — both of whom changed their positions after eachhad a child come out.