NASHVILLE, Tenn. – A lesbian couple is asking for changes at Dollywood after an employee asked one of the women to turn her T-shirt reading "marriage is so gay" inside-out to avoid offending others on a recent visit to the Tennessee theme park complex.

Olivier Odom and Jennifer Tipton said Tuesday they want the park to be more inclusive of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender families after Odom was asked to reverse her shirt when they visited Dollywood Splash Country next to the Pigeon Forge amusement park. The story was first reported by WBIR-TV in Knoxville.


Dollywood spokesman Pete Owens said on Tuesday that Dollywood is open to all families, but their dress code policy is to ask people with clothing or tattoos that could be considered offensive to change clothes or cover up.

Owens said the couple was not asked to leave and complied with the rules to reverse the shirt when asked.

"The park is open every day to everybody," Owens said. "We try to provide an environment for families of all shapes and sizes to enjoy themselves.

Owens said park officials were discussing the matter and would speak with the couple directly.

Odom said that they visited the water park July 9 with friends and their friends' two children when she was asked by a person at the front gate to turn her shirt inside out because it was a family park.

Odom said she complied so as not to make a scene in front of the children, but felt offended.

"That's what we found so offensive -- that he said it was a family park," Tipton said. "Families come in a wide range of definitions these days and we were with our family."

The two said they felt they needed to file a complaint with Dollywood because they believed it was important to stand up for their beliefs in marriage equality.

"If marriage equality is going to happen, it's not going to happen if people sit at home quietly," Odom said.

Odom said they understand the park can have dress code policies, but she felt Dollywood needed to make their policies clear and provide better training for employees when determining what is considered offensive.

Odom and Tipton are not legally married, but held a ceremony last year in North Carolina. They wrote an email to the park asking the park "to implement policies that are inclusive of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people; conduct staff sensitivity training; and issue a public statement indicating that the park is inclusive of all families."

Owens said the couple's complaints have sparked discussion at the park about the dress code, a policy that park employees deal with frequently because of the thousands of visitors every year.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/07/27/couple-asked-to-reverse-pro-gay-marriage-shirt-at-dollywood/#ixzz1TLnua0GE

I support gay marriage, but incidents like this make me second guess my support. They are trying to shove their beliefs and lifestyle down peoples throats. It is a private business and private property and they can enforce a dress code if they like and for these two to make a big scene well is pathetic and makes me reconsider my support.

Rules like this are in place to make sure people don't get not only offended but to keep the peace. This is a heated subject and wearing a shirt like that especially in Tenn. could cause violence.

It's not just shirts like this that they ban, it's any short or clothing that could be offensive. I guarantee if someone wore a shirt targeting gay and lesbians they same thing would happen to them or someone wearing gang clothing or clothing with profanity on it.

THis is not a big deal but they want to make it a big deal and this is why a lot of people oppose gay marrige, because they want to force their crap down everyones throat and when it's not accepted they cause a scene, throw a fit or sue someone.

I agree. The tee shirt is too ambiguious to clearly even be identified as 'pro gay marriage'

someone else may view it as an 'anti marriage' sentiment

yet another could easily be offended (as we have seen with the word 'retarded') with the casual and possibly negative use of the word 'gay'

..the shirt could be offensive on many levels but most obviously
if someone had a shirt that said marriage is 'retarded' because they think retarded adults should be able to wed

I think there would be the same , fairly obvious, possibility of offending people who dont feel the words use should be so casual.

I hate stupid people like this.

they didn't make a scene of any kind...she turned her shirt out and went on her way.

they filed the complaint LATER.

the shirt is less offensive, in my personal opinion, than many rock t-shirts.

Does the park clearly state outside the ticket booths what the dress code is? Or what is considered offensive?



You support gay marriage, yet support censoring people's clothing because it may offend someone? What other types of clothing do you think should be banned in case it's offensive?

Interesting ... since gays have "marriage is between one man and one woman" forced down their throat on a daily basis, even if its just the simple fact of knowing that by law they can't legally marry in most states.

Who's cramming what?

I support private businesses enforcing a dress policy on private property.

Yes family places can censor clothes. I think that shirt would be inappropriate for a family place like that just like many shirts could be offensive. I think if they were really adults they would realize that a family theme park is not a place to wear that shirt. Why try to make a political statement at a theme park? It's like they wanted it to happen just as it did. Thats what it seems anyway.

I wouldn't want to see a pro or anti abortion shirt when I am at Disney World. Its not that I am against either cause I just think it is not the place for it and parents shouldn't have their kids see that and try to explain what it means. (this is merely an example of another weird shirt for the location that may be considered offensive but not related to being gay or not)

People that do things like this are totally selfish IMO.

its a family park, meaning there will be kids

kids must learn, if for no other reason but understanding how they get here, that men and women bond intimately

how , why , and when they are exposed to the topic of MEN and MEN, or WOMEN and WOMEN bonding is up to their parents though

,,if it is within the parks rights to require certain dress (like businesses that mandate shoes and shirt for service), than I dont see the big deal with this request(As long as there is corroborating evidence that this isnt an isolated incident and that there is a history of other such requests for the sake of creating a family friendly environment)

Do you also not support the Mormons, who REGULARLY 'cram' things down peoples' throats by showing up on private property preaching their version of the Almighty Word of God? Their 'missionaries' regularly show up on peoples' front doorsteps ignoring signs like 'No Solicitations' et cetera. When called on it, they assert 'We're just expressing our free speech rights' and the signs don't apply to them.

The Fundies are even worse-- they'll can get really testy when you tell them you're a non-believer and why, often trying to start nasty arguments with you until told to leave peaceably.

Would you consider THAT as 'throwing a fit'? How about them having children along with them while they do so? Would that qualify, in your opinion, as 'causing a scene'?


And if one were to swear out a complaint about their disorderly conduct and/or trespassing on PRIVATE PROPERTY, how seriously would that be taken?
How long would it be before the person swearing out the complaint be facing reprisals, legal or otherwise?



-Kerry O.

You didn't answer my other question. What other types of clothing do you think should be banned as not to offend anyone?

So, it does say this on their website, however it doesn't give much info on what would be considered offensive.



I wonder if that includes anything religious that may offend others, since of course not everyone is religious?

"we reserve the right to refuse service to anyone"... that sign is everywhere in Texas, and people need to follow the rules... it is not anyones "right" to enter dollwood, any dollywood has the right to enforce whatever dress code they see fit. do they have to have a sign that specifically states what can or can't be printed on a t-shirt? no, they don't, just like they can do the same thing to anti gay slogans on a t-shirt. not a big deal people, this would have never made the news if was an anti-gay slogan on it...

Well, as you can see, I did change my response, as I did find something about dress code on the site. I'm not saying they can't refuse entry to whoever they want because of what they're wearing. I'm just wondering what they consider offensive.

probably the same things any other family-orientated park would want...

I think personally if there are going to be impressionable children in a park then Adults should take the time to think about that before they get dressed to attend that park... I don't think it has to do with rather they are gay or straight or man or woman it has to do more with having a little respect for others.

This 100%. Those 2 are just giving bad names to other gay people who are nice, respectful, and wouldn't wear something like that to a family park.

i think the disrespect comes from after the fact, the whining about it... they know not to wear it there next time, but they want to say they are being discriminated against, when they were not...

Well I guess it depends on how much common sense someone has. I mean to me it just seems obvious that you don't wear a shirt like that to a family park. But yes I guess they could have just not realized it.

everyone has a blonde moment at one time or another...