Utah Gay Wedding Announcement Refused Publication - My Version Here
Utah Newspaper Refuses Same-Sex Wedding Announcement
A Utah newspaper has refused a legally married couple of men the opportunity to alert their friends that they are happily married and having a wedding reception on: August 22, 2009 at: 7 p.m., address: 908 Madison Heights in Washington, Utah.
(Grrr... 72% of all daily American newspapers run same-sex announcements!)
Congratulations to Spencer Kent Jones and Tyler Jerome Barrick! Both raised in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints - Mormon religion; married in San Francisco, California, during the months that allowed same-sex partners to wed legally. With their right to be married upheld by the California Supreme Court that has sanctioned all weddings during the legalized period of time to wed as valid.
Utah gay wedding announcement refused publication? Sigh...
I do not know Attorney Spencer or Nurse Tyler or their dog Cooper. I do not know Spencer's proud parents Leon and Cherie Jones of Stansbury Park, Utah, or Tyler's proud parents Steven and Linda Stay of Washington, Utah... But, I do know that I once read something about treating others as we expect to be treated.
The Utah gay wedding announcement refused publication was sent to The Spectrum newspaper in Utah, to alert local friends in the Washington, Utah area of this young couple's plans to have a reception gathering, and to tell others that they will be having an after-wedding ceremony for family and friends on September 6, 2009 in California at the Rio Villa Resort in Sonoma County with a Russian River backdrop.
Part of the problems with same-sex weddings in California during the short time that they were legal was the time-rush that did not allow for full-size weddings to be planned. Many couples, like Spencer and Tyler, were forced to marry first, and then have an after wedding ceremony for family and friends to attend.
The Utah gay wedding announcement refused for publication by The Spectrum prevents friends from attending unless a few of us try to get the word out that a happy event is in progress. While it is not much, I can ask that everybody reading this spread the word. Spencer, Tyler and their little Cooper are a family now. There is nothing wrong with passing them on a smile.
Published by Matt A. Maxx
Matt is a full-time freelance writer for hire, specializing in advanced SEO techniques. Yahoo! Associated Content mentions include: 2008 Top 100 Writers, 2009 Top 1000 Writers, 2010 Top 1000 Writers and vari... View profile
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16 Comments
Post a CommentI'm coming across this article a bit late, but I appreciate that you chose to cover this topic, which is very close to my heart. Well done!
I still remember when the New York Times started publishing these announcements. I don't think our local paper does, though.
I work at a paper and I don't think we have encountered this yet.
This is ridiculous! I'm facebooking this if I go on later!
Nicely written :)
very good discussion here.
21st century and we still got ways to go... Thanks so much for writing this!
Very cool of you to do this! I hope Spencer and Tyler hear of your kindness, and that they have many long years of love.
Excellent reporting! Wedding announcements, like anniversaries and even obituaries are considered PAID ADVERTISEMENTS by newspaper publications - The refusal of any newspaper to accept payment for a legitimate announcement, as certainly Spencer & Tyler's is legitimate, I find deeply disturbing in this time of newspapers in such desperate financial and readership need. Actions such as that Utah publisher took will only help in burying the local newspaper industry more quickly. Freedom of speech and freedom of press? NOT!
I am just shaking my head reading this. It's hard to believe that there are still people this ignorant. Great reporting on this very sensitive subject.