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Same-sex unions in 'News' - Dallas Morning News to publish FREE same sex unions announcements
The Dallas Morning News ^ | July 6, 2003 | By ALINE McKENZIE / The Dallas Morning News

Posted on 07/06/2003 6:38:29 AM PDT by MeekOneGOP


Same-sex unions in 'News'

Announcements are a 'logical step,' says publisher

07/06/2003

By ALINE McKENZIE / The Dallas Morning News

Starting July 6, The Dallas Morning News will publish announcements of same-sex unions. The announcements will run alongside paid marriage and engagement announcements on Sundays.

"The publication of same-sex union announcements is a logical step for The Dallas Morning News to take," says James Moroney III, the paper's publisher and CEO. "We are now in line with practices of most major metropolitan newspapers across the country.

"We convened a meeting of representatives from the Cathedral of Hope as well as four other men and women from various businesses in order to represent a good cross-section of Dallas' gay community," he says.

The paper's parent company, Belo Corp., began offering benefits to same-sex partners of Belo employees in January, and the new policy on union announcements is a natural progression, he says.

Heather Jace of Melissa and her partner, Jandy Jace, are one of the couples running announcements in today's paper.

"We're real happy," says Heather Jace, 25, an office manager. "We want people to know, 'Hey, we're just like you. We've got a house, we've got a job, we have pets, we pay bills.' "

The couple had a small commitment ceremony in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, on June 9, followed by a reception when they returned home. She says she isn't worried about any sort of backlash from the announcement. "I would like to think the community is mature enough to accept it and embrace it," she says.

Vanessa Benavides and Amy Davis, two Dallas attorneys who had a black-tie commitment ceremony in Dallas on June 14, are also buying an announcement. The couple also got married in Canada on June 23, and Ms. Davis took the name Benavides.

"I think it's important to let the community know that we go together, that we have made this commitment," says Vanessa Benavides, 28.

"I think that's the importance of marriages – to have witnesses to know that we've made this commitment together."

The paper's criteria for publishing an announcement are that the ceremony takes place in public, and that somebody officiates.

A two-inch announcement is free, while photos or longer announcements are charged according to size.

The Dallas Morning News joins 205 other papers that publish same-sex union announcements, including 10 in Texas, according to the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Discrimination, or GLAAD.

"I'm so happy and so glad to hear this," says Monica Taher, people of color media director for GLAAD.

She worked last year on the group's project to get additional papers to publish same-sex union announcements.

The New York Times' decision last August to begin publishing same-sex union announcements was a watershed, she says.

Since then, many more papers have begun publishing such announcements, she says.

At some papers, executives had argued that printing same-sex announcements was tantamount to taking a political stand, but GLAAD representatives responded that not running them was also taking a political stand, she says.

Pamela Strother, executive director of the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association, also praised The Morning News' new policy.

"It's fantastic that The Dallas Morning News has moved forward on this," she says.

"It shows that a newspaper in a region that might be seen as conservative is willing to step out on this."

NLGJA leaders have also been meeting with newspaper executives, including The New York Times' publisher, says Robert Dodge, last year's president and a writer in The Dallas Morning News' Washington bureau.

"Our work was journalist to journalist, colleague to colleague, behind the scenes," he says.

E-mail amckenzie@dallasnews.com


Online at: http://www.dallasnews.com/texasliving/stories/070603dnlivsamesex.a86e9.html


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: catholiclist; dallas; dallasmorningnews; gay; homosexualagenda; lesbians; liberals; newspapers; texas
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Oh, great !! The DMN is just GIDDY over this, aren't they? They are even more LIBERAL than I thought. I bet that CEO is gay or has gay buddies, too.

I guess they just didn't get the memo ! Same sex unions are NOT recognized in the state of Texas !!

barf alert!:


Oh, Gee Bruce ! I just can't
WAIT to see our picture in the
Dallas Morning News !!


1 posted on 07/06/2003 6:38:29 AM PDT by MeekOneGOP
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To: MeeknMing
This is positively putrid-- an utter abomination. Gee, let's open the paper and see pictures of gay men/lesbians pretending to be a married couple. AWK!
I'd like to have the satisfaction of discontinuing my subscription to the DMN, but I don't take the rag.
2 posted on 07/06/2003 6:51:13 AM PDT by Clara Lou (WHEN I’M PRESIDENT, WE’LL HAVE EXECUTIVE ORDERS to overcome any wrong thing the Supreme Court does)
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To: MeeknMing
This is weird, IMO.

I know there have been times in the past when homosexuality has been generally accepted, ancient Greece, I guess is the instance I'm thinking of.

But I have a question. Do you think that even in ancient Greece, homosexual *marriage* was accepted and a part of everday life?
3 posted on 07/06/2003 6:52:55 AM PDT by Sam Cree (Democrats are herd animals)
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To: MeeknMing
And another thing: I just bet the Houston Chronicle isn't going to want to be left behind by the DMN. That's fine. That's a subscription that I can and will drop.
4 posted on 07/06/2003 6:54:30 AM PDT by Clara Lou (WHEN I’M PRESIDENT, WE’LL HAVE EXECUTIVE ORDERS to overcome any wrong thing the Supreme Court does)
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To: MeeknMing
I guess the Dallas Morning News is determine to win the "How Liberal can you Possibly Get?" contest.
5 posted on 07/06/2003 7:03:20 AM PDT by capt. norm
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To: MeeknMing
It's enough to make one VOMIT!
6 posted on 07/06/2003 7:03:51 AM PDT by chachacha
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To: Sam Cree; Clara Lou
I found it a bit humorous that GLAAD and NLGJA was so THRILLED about the NY Slimes opening the door wide to this trend, especially given Slimes credibility of late!:

"I'm so happy and so glad to hear this," says Monica Taher, people of color media director for GLAAD.

She worked last year on the group's project to get additional papers to publish same-sex union announcements.

The New York Times' decision last August to begin publishing same-sex union announcements was a watershed, she says.

Since then, many more papers have begun publishing such announcements, she says.

At some papers, executives had argued that printing same-sex announcements was tantamount to taking a political stand, but GLAAD representatives responded that not running them was also taking a political stand, she says.

Pamela Strother, executive director of the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association, also praised The Morning News' new policy.

"It's fantastic that The Dallas Morning News has moved forward on this," she says.

"It shows that a newspaper in a region that might be seen as conservative is willing to step out on this."

NLGJA leaders have also been meeting with newspaper executives, including The New York Times' publisher, says Robert Dodge, last year's president and a writer in The Dallas Morning News' Washington bureau.


7 posted on 07/06/2003 7:05:31 AM PDT by MeekOneGOP (Bu-bye Dixie Chimps! / Coming Soon !: Freeper site on Comcast. Found the URL. Gotta fix it now.)
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To: MeeknMing
The NY Times is basically a homosexual paper, so it wasn't too surprising when they changed their policy. What I wonder is what it will do to revenue streams if they keep it up. Announcing your daughter's marriage is a joyous and sacred occasion for most people. Will the parents of the bride want to pay good money to make these announcements if the adjoining column announces the marriage of Bruce and Bruce complete with a picture like the one above?

Would you want your children's weddings to be announced via posters on the local whorehouse?
8 posted on 07/06/2003 7:07:03 AM PDT by Cicero (Marcus Tullius)
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To: MeeknMing
Does anybody else think that if these people keep imposing their disgusting behavior on decent people that we will start seeing a rise in "hate crimes?" I think the majority of people in this country have a live and let live philosophy, but at the point where fag rights start restricting our rights, especially when the exercise of their so-called rights goes against the laws of God and nature, it may just be the last straw for some. I mean, no respectable person wants to have to explain to their 5 year olds why those two men are slobbering all over each other.
9 posted on 07/06/2003 7:16:23 AM PDT by sweetliberty ("Having the right to do a thing is not at all the same thing as being right in doing it.")
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To: capt. norm
"I guess the Dallas Morning News is determine to win the "How Liberal can you Possibly Get?" contest"

I guess the Dallas Morning News is determine to win the "How Liberal Low can you Possibly Get?" contest

10 posted on 07/06/2003 7:17:45 AM PDT by sweetliberty ("Having the right to do a thing is not at all the same thing as being right in doing it.")
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To: Cicero
Will the parents of the bride want to pay good money to make these announcements if the adjoining column announces the marriage of Bruce and Bruce complete with a picture like the one above?

Not likely, I ain't gonna do it. And also, considering that the 2 "gays" aren't having a legit marriage anyway, unless they go to Vermont or Hawaii.

I think newpapers are already fighting circulation and cost problems, it's easy to imagine this trend not helping much.

11 posted on 07/06/2003 7:18:52 AM PDT by Sam Cree (Democrats are herd animals)
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To: MeeknMing
I think the only thing more despicable than their behavior is that they're proud of that of which they ought to be ashamed. Their arrogance is tantamount to flipping God off.
12 posted on 07/06/2003 7:21:28 AM PDT by sweetliberty ("Having the right to do a thing is not at all the same thing as being right in doing it.")
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To: Cicero
"Will the parents of the bride want to pay good money to make these announcements if the adjoining column announces the marriage of Bruce and Bruce complete with a picture like the one above? "

I certainly wouldn't.

13 posted on 07/06/2003 7:23:00 AM PDT by sweetliberty ("Having the right to do a thing is not at all the same thing as being right in doing it.")
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To: MeeknMing; GatorGirl; maryz; *Catholic_list; afraidfortherepublic; Antoninus; Aquinasfan; Askel5; ..
A ping for the Catholic Caucus. Perhaps a letters to the editor campaign would be in order?
14 posted on 07/06/2003 7:32:31 AM PDT by narses ("The do-it-yourself Mass is ended. Go in peace" Francis Carindal Arinze of Nigeria)
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To: MeeknMing
When is some enterprising straight couple going to demand equal rights and a FREE announcement (or threaten a discrimination lawsuit hee hee hee)

Libs are so stupid
15 posted on 07/06/2003 7:34:32 AM PDT by Mr. K (mwk_14059 on yahoo Instant Messenger)
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To: MeeknMing
. "We want people to know, 'Hey, we're just like you. We've got a house, we've got a job, we have pets, we pay bills.' "

No, you're not just like "us". My husband is a man and I am a woman. Major difference.

Vanessa Benavides and Amy Davis, two Dallas attorneys who had a black-tie commitment ceremony in Dallas on June 14, are also buying an announcement. The couple also got married in Canada on June 23, and Ms. Davis took the name Benavides.

Weird - feminists used to say they hated the wife taking her husband's name (or even marrying a man) since it was submitting to evil patriarchy. Which one is representing the evil man? Or maybe both were in tuxedos?

The paper's criteria for publishing an announcement are that the ceremony takes place in public, and that somebody officiates.

Is a bathhouse public, and one of the anonymous gang can officiate?

16 posted on 07/06/2003 7:39:30 AM PDT by First Amendment (<i>)
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To: Clara Lou
I'd like to have the satisfaction of discontinuing my subscription to the DMN, but I don't take the rag.

My sentiments exactly. Let's hope this looney decision will backfire when thousands of subscribers tell the DMN to go to hell and quit taking the rag.
17 posted on 07/06/2003 7:39:44 AM PDT by demkicker ((I wanna kick some commie butt))
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To: pram
The CEO said it was the logical thing for them to do. What the heck is logical about two men having sex with each other. nuff said
18 posted on 07/06/2003 7:43:16 AM PDT by Just A Christian
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To: sweetliberty
I liked it better when they stayed in the closet and all. Sigh !

19 posted on 07/06/2003 7:44:03 AM PDT by MeekOneGOP (Bu-bye Dixie Chimps! / Coming Soon !: Freeper site on Comcast. Found the URL. Gotta fix it now.)
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To: MeeknMing
I am so ashamed to be from Dallas.
20 posted on 07/06/2003 7:46:13 AM PDT by DallasMike
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