Splash Country, Tennessee: Lesbian Couple Claim Discrimination

Splash Country is a popular water park in East Tennessee. It is making news and it has nothing to do with Dolly Parton. The water park and Dollywood are Dolly Parton's creativity. It seems that Olivier Ogden and Jennifer Tipton are a lesbian couple who were married last year. They feel that they are just like any other couple. They recently went to the water park to enjoy the day and took along friend's kids. Instead of enjoying their time, they feel that they were discriminated against. If you have never heard of Splash Country, it is a large water park that is very popular with tourists and locals in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. It is located across the road from Dollywood.

Ogden was wearing a t-shirt that read, 'Marriage is so Gay' and was told by the front gate host to turn her t-shirt inside out. She was shocked and asked why. She was told that Splash Country is a family park. The word 'gay' along with the word 'marriage' was the reason the gate host found the shirt to be offensive.

As reported by WBIR, according to a Dollywood spokesperson, they have given their gatekeepers the authority to determine how to enforce the dress code for the parks. Their goal is not to offend anyone. In this case, they offended several people and made them feel uncomfortable. Ogden went on to say that there were rebel flags and offensive tattoos all over the place. She feels that she was singled out while others were free to roam around dressed inappropriately. Instead of making a public display and ruining the day for the kids, she turned her shirt inside out as requested.

She has since turned to a group called 'Campaign for Southern Equality', who advised her to write a letter. In her letter Ogden stated, "To ensure that your customers are not treated this way in the future, I would like to see Dollywood: implement policies that are inclusive of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people; conduct staff sensitivity training; and issue a public statement indicating that the park is inclusive of all families."

Dolly Parton has been outspoken regarding her support of gay marriage. Currently Dollywood officials have not responded to the Ogden letter, but they plan to contact Ogden and Tipton to discuss the situation.

Dollywood and Splash Country are supposed to be fun places to visit for any and all. Do you feel that the gate host at Splash Country was right or wrong in telling Ogden to turn her t-shirt inside out? What would you have done? How should it have been handled?

Source:

WBIR.com