A host at the front gate of Dollywood's Splash Country amusement park ordered a lesbian to take off her T-shirt that read "Marriage Is So Gay" and turn it inside out or be denied entrance, reportsWBIR-TV of Knoxville, Tenn.
Olivier Odom and Jennifer Tipton took the children of a friend to the Tennessee theme park, but when the gatekeeper noticed Odom's T-shirt, the sales of which raise money and awareness for marriage equality, the couple and the children were stopped at the entrance.
"I was in disbelief," Odom says."I didn't think it was the policy of Dollywood to discriminate against the LGBT community." She continues, "I was curious what he found offensive about the shirt. If it was the fact that it had the word gay on it or that it was in conjunction with the word marriage." Odom says she noticed patrons with tattoos she deems offensive as well as rebel flags.
Odom followed the gatekeeper's instruction and turned her shirt inside out so the children's day would not be ruined, but she hopes the incident will lead to changes in Dollywood policy.
A spokesperson for Dollywood said it's the park's policy for the gatekeepers to make decisions about how to enforce the dress code for the thousands of patrons. The intention is to prevent any other patrons from being offended, and park officials haven't had the opportunity to review this case.
Parton has not commented, but she has been a longtime advocate for equality. She recently gave an interview to the gay newspaper Dallas Voice, in which she addressed her LGBT fan base. "I have always loved my gay fans," she says."They accept me and I accept them. We get along just fine. I am very proud and honored when they dress up like me or whatever they want to do!"
Watch a news report of the incident below.
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