By Jeremy Kinser for THE ADVOCATE:

Dolly Parton has issued an apology to the lesbian couple who felt discriminated against at Dollywood last month, saying she’s sorry for “the hurt or embarrassment,” reports ABC News.

As The Advocate reported July 20, Olivier Odom and Jennifer Tipton and the children of a friend were stopped at the entrance to Parton’s popular Tennessee theme park when a gatekeeper noticed Odom wearing a T-shirt that read “Marriage Is So Gay.” Odom was instructed to turn the shirt inside out before her party could enter Dollywood.

Parton’s statement reads: “I am truly sorry for the hurt or embarrassment regarding the gay and lesbian t-shirt incident at Dollywood’s Splash Country recently. Everyone knows of my personal support of the gay and lesbian community. Dollywood is a family park and all families are welcome.” Parton adds that the policies on clothing or signs with profanity or controversial messages are in place to protect the person wearing the shirt and keep disturbances at the park to a minimum. Parton adds, “I am looking further into the incident and hope and believe it was more policy than insensitivity. I am very sorry it happened at all.”

Parton, a longtime advocate for equality and civil rights, is currently on tour to promote her latest album Better Day.

JOE MY GOD:

The full 1965 documentary. Interestingly, twenty years after this film’s release, famed newsman (and narrator) George Putnam came out publicly in support of gay rights. This movie was financed by Charles Keating, who later went to federal prison for orchestrating the infamous savings & loan scandal of the early 90’s.

Perversion for Profit is a 1965 propaganda film financed by Charles Keating and narrated by news reporter George Putnam. A vehement diatribe against pornography, the film attempts to link explicit portrayals of human sexuality to the subversion of American civilization, and briefly draws a parallel between pornography and the Communist conspiracy. The film is in the public domain, and it has become a popular download from the Prelinger Archives. Perversion for Profit illustrates its claims with still images taken from various soft core pornography magazines of the period, though with some portions of human anatomy obscured by colored rectangles.