USA – Spark Networks has agreed to a legal settlement that will allow gay and lesbian people to look for same-sex matches on the dating website ChristianMingle.com, and its sister sites CatholicMingle.com, AdventistSinglesConnection.com and BlackSingles.com.
Spark Networks was sued in 2013 by two gay men who said the Los Angeles-based Christian dating site discriminated against same-sex couples, which violated California’s anti-discrimination law, the Unruh Civil Rights Act, notes The Wall Street Journal.
The State of California of website states: “Under the Unruh Civil Rights Act, all persons are entitled to full and equal accommodations, advantages, facilities, privileges, or services in all business establishments, including both private and public entities. The Unruh Civil Rights Act protects all persons against arbitrary and unreasonable discrimination by a business establishment (Civil Code section 51).”
Two of the categories protected under the Unruh Civil Rights Act include: “Sex (which includes pregnancy, childbirth, medical conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth, gender, gender identity and gender expression)” and “Sexual Orientation.”
ChristianMingle.com’s dating software used to require users to be either a man seeking a woman, or a woman seeking a man.
Under the judge-approved settlement, Spark Networks will now only require users to identify themselves as a man or woman. Spark Networks also agreed to add new options for gay and lesbian users within two years.
Spark Networks’ Jewish dating site JDate.com was not part of the settlement.
Additionally, Spark Networks is going to pay both of the gay men $9,000 each, and $450,000 in legal fees to their lawyers. Spark Networks has not admitted to any wrongdoing.
A Spark Networks representative said that it was “pleased to resolve this litigation.”
ChristianMIngle.com states on its site: “Long-lasting relationships are built on compatible values and beliefs. Your ChristianMingle profile, which you can complete in a snap, helps other single Christians understand what’s important to you, including your approach to your faith. Then, when you search, you’ll be able to find someone who shares your place on what we call ‘the faith spectrum.'”
Sources: The Wall Street Journal, ChristianMIngle.com, State of California
