Marriage for Gays & Lesbians
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FEBRUARY 10, 2004
Open Letter from the National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association to the News Industry on Accurate Reporting About Marriage for Gays and Lesbians
Dear Fellow Journalist:
On February 4, 2004, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court handed down a 4-3 ruling reaffirming their November 2003 decision to confer marriage rights for gays and lesbians, beginning as early as this spring. With news coverage expanding rapidly concerning the issue of marriage and gay and lesbian couples, the National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association (NLGJA) urges all media professionals to use accurate and clear terminology in reporting.
The terms “gay marriage” and “same-sex marriage” are inaccurate and misleading. The decision made by the Massachusetts court affects the state’s existing marriage law. The court has ordered the state to apply the existing law equally to gay and lesbian couples as early as May 2004. The accurate terminology on-air, in headlines and in body type should be “marriage for gays and lesbians.”
The subject of marriage for gays and lesbians requires immediate attention to fair and balanced coverage. When sourcing stories, NLGJA recommends that legal quotes and expertise be kept distinct and separate from religious quotes and opinions. Don’t contrast a legal expert’s comments on points of marriage law and civil legislation with opinions of theologians, for example.
States traditionally have the power to regulate the terms and conditions of civil marriage licenses issued by the state. Independent faiths however remain free to determine which marriages may be sanctified according to their religious tenets, and are not subject to state laws on marriage.
Marriage law also should not be confused with the legal designation of civil unions, which are currently issued only in Vermont. Civil unions are presumed to extend marriage benefits and protections under Vermont state law, but do not include any federal benefits available to married couples. Civil unions also have no effect on religious congregations and their option to bless or not to bless civil unions registered with the state of Vermont.
To distinguish between state and religious institutions — a distinction that is becoming increasingly important for accurate coverage of marriage, we recommend using the term “marriage for gay and lesbian couples” to describe state recognition of a couple’s marriage, “religious ceremony” to describe religious institutions’ sanctification or blessing, or “ceremony of commitment” to describe a couple’s commitment.
Marriage law has become among the most controversial issues of 2004. It will continue to be a hot story as the first U.S. marriage licenses are issued to gay and lesbian couples in Massachusetts, through the election cycle and beyond.
The National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association is an organization of journalists, online media professionals, and students that works from within the journalism industry to foster fair and accurate coverage of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues. NLGJA opposes workplace bias against all minorities and provides professional development for its members. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., NLGJA currently has more than 1,200 members and 21 chapters in the U.S., with affiliates in Canada and Germany. Information about NLGJA and its 2004 convention may be found at www.nlgja.org
The National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association is an organization of journalists, online media professionals, and students that works from within the journalism industry to foster fair and accurate coverage of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues. NLGJA opposes workplace bias against all minorities and provides professional development for its members. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., NLGJA currently has more than 1,100 members and 19 chapters in the U.S., with affiliates in Canada and Germany. Information about NLGJA and its 2004 convention may be found at www.nlgja.org
Media contact: Pamela Strother, Executive Director, NLGJA
(202) 588-9888 ext. 11
pstrother@nlgja.org
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