After the libertine left howled that that the Associated Press decided not to use routinely the word "homophobia," it's not surprising the same people are upset that AP stylebook sultans would rule that "husband" and "wife" should not be used routinely to describe "gay marriages." The Huffington Post apparently can't read. They call this a "ban."
But the real fever swamp is at Gawker, where the radicals imagine that the "bizarre" AP is somehow like segregationists:
Why does it matter? The Associated Press remains the leading authority worldwide on journalistic style. While most publications, including Gawker, deviate occasionally from the AP's ordained "proper" style, it does serve as a guide for nearly every word of journalism you'll read either online or in print. This particular style choice makes a jarring "separate but equal" standard for married couples. As we learned with segregation, a separate standard is inherently unequal.
As usual, gay activists are trying to rewrite the dictionary, where a husband is married to a woman and a wife is married to a man. AP is trying to take the middle road, and let reporters use the term if the gays like using them. That's no "ban." This is what the AP stated on Monday, as reported at JimRomenesko.com:
From: AP Standards
Sent: Mon 2/11/2013 2:45 PM
STYLE WATCH
SAME-SEX COUPLES: We were asked how to report about same-sex couples who call themselves “husband” and “wife.” Our view is that such terms may be used in AP stories with attribution. Generally AP uses couples or partners to describe people in civil unions or same-sex marriages.
Tom Kent
Dave Minthorn
Later, AP spokesman Paul Colford issued a slightly amended second sentence: "Our view is that such terms may be used in AP content if those involved have regularly used those terms ('Smith is survived by his husband, John Jones') or in quotes attributed to them."
As usual, gay activists despise anything except complete obedience to their new "norms." Obey, or you're somehow Orval Faubus.
Also as usual, liberal AP reporter David Crary, who regularly reports on those "LGBT issues," will continue to please the left, as he often does by omitting conservatives from stories. Americablog reported Crary's declaration of solidarity:
The AP style guidance will have no effect on how I write about legally married same-sex couples. I will continue to depict them on equal terms, linguistically and otherwise, with heterosexual married couples, with no hesitation about using husband and wife in the cases where that’s the appropriate term.
