Mike and Chuck Hewitt finally got married after being together for more than 10 years. The same-sex couple lives in Missouri and crossed the border to Iowa to get exchange vows. Just like any married couple, they wanted to publish their wedding announcement in their hometown newspaper. But because gay marriage isn't legal in Missouri, the papers refused to recognize the marriage by publishing it.
"It didn't take long before they responded back we do not do same sex marriages or commitment ceremonies in our paper," explains the couple.
Locally, Illinois' Dispatch Argus has not had any requests for same-sex wedding announcements, but will print them. "If we were presented with a request like that we could treat it just like we do any other wedding announcement request," said Joe Payne, Associate Managing Director of the Moline Dispatch Publishing Company.
Iowa-based Quad City Times, also, has had no requests but has changed the wording on their forms to accommodate both types of unions. "We certainly don't want to do anything to alienate traditional couples but we don't want to force same sex couples to chose titles they may not deem appropriate," explained Steve Thomas, Editor of the Quad City Times.
Payne also mentioned that each newspaper has their own policy and decides on their own if they will or will not publish a same-sex wedding announcement or story.
"It didn't take long before they responded back we do not do same sex marriages or commitment ceremonies in our paper," explains the couple.
Locally, Illinois' Dispatch Argus has not had any requests for same-sex wedding announcements, but will print them. "If we were presented with a request like that we could treat it just like we do any other wedding announcement request," said Joe Payne, Associate Managing Director of the Moline Dispatch Publishing Company.
Iowa-based Quad City Times, also, has had no requests but has changed the wording on their forms to accommodate both types of unions. "We certainly don't want to do anything to alienate traditional couples but we don't want to force same sex couples to chose titles they may not deem appropriate," explained Steve Thomas, Editor of the Quad City Times.
Payne also mentioned that each newspaper has their own policy and decides on their own if they will or will not publish a same-sex wedding announcement or story.
