A Valentine's Day Kiss Off Contest at West Towne Mall this Saturday may not be for everyone. According to officials at the University of Wisconsin, the mall will not allow same-sex couples to paricipate in the contest.
In outcry against the rule, UW's Campus Women's Center plans to hold a silent protest in the mall.
"I definitely feel like this rule is discriminatory," Publicity Coordinator Stephanie Halfmann said. "It shouldn't be happening."
Originally, the event's sponsor, local Madison radio station WZEE 104.1, had not planned to allow same-sex couples to participate in the contest. But Halfmann said she called station program manager Jon Reilly on Monday to discuss the issue and by Wednesday, Z104 told her the station had decided to change the rule to allow same-sex couples to participate.
However, later that day, Z104 called Halfmann again and said West Towne Mall had oversight of the station and therefore decided to keep the rule as standing.
"Their primary concern with allowing same sex couples to participate was the comfort level of people in the mall," she said.
Z104 representatives and West Towne Mall officials did not return calls as of press time.
According to Halfmann, Z104 "may have been quick" to answer Halfmann's request without regards to West Towne Mall's jurisdiction.
"West Towne has told me that this is final decision," she said. "But who knows if we can get enough buzz and publicity about this."
UW political science professor Donald Downs said the mall may have the right to enforce such a rule.
"If you had a party at your house, the state couldn't tell you who to invite," Downs said. "There might be some state law that would cover this, though I don't know what it would be."
The bigger issue, according to Downs, is the center's right to protest at the mall in the first place.
"We don't have the first amendment right to demonstrate on private property, and a mall is considered private property," he said. "It's going to boil down to if they're standing on private property or not."
Potential consequences for protesting on private property include being asked to leave and being charged for trespassing, Downs said.
Halfmann said many student organizations have shown support for the center's protest, including the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Campus Center and university program Sex Out Loud.
LGBT Campus Center Outreach Specialist Brad Schomck said the rule does not shock him, but he said he received a mixed reaction after relating the information to students.
"Some of them were shocked by it," he said. "They don't really see this on a day to day basis … but others expected it."
Though the organization will not formally protest, Schmock noted many members and students will participate in the protest.
"I hope [people] understand that we are not out there to make them uncomfortable," he said. "We're just out there to vouch for equality and try to make people realize that discrimination like this can't happen.”
