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America's Leading Gay News Source
Activists criticize new AP policy on couples
The Associated Press Building in New York City (Photo by Alterego via wikimedia commons)
WASHINGTON – Advocates continue to criticize the Associated Press for a memo it released on Tuesday that said journalists should use the words “husband” and “wife” to describe same-sex couples only if they have used them or in quotes attributed to them.
The memo said the news agency “generally” uses “couples or partners to describe people in civil unions or same-sex marriages.”
The National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association referenced the U.S. Supreme Court’s Loving v. Virginia court decision in a blog post about the AP memo. The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation and gay blogger John Aravosis also criticized the news agency.
Tagged with AP, Associated Press, Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, gay marriage, GLAAD, John Aravosis, Loving v Virginia, National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association, NLGJA, same-sex marriage, SCOTUS, U.S. Supreme Court
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While it is a question of semantics. I've always tendend towards referring to gay coupling as being with my "partner or mate".
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This is a case where GLBT Activist should find something more important to deal with. Most of the GLBT couples I know do not refer to themselves as Husband and Wife. For GLBT individuals the term can be sexist as it come across as placing each person in a specific role in their marriage.
The AP is saying they will use the term when the people involved have used them so it is not like they are trying to avoid it.
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I think when we go out to dinner I should refer to Shirley as my husband and she call me her wife just to freak out and confuse people and see how they react :)
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